Stories from May 2008

Bernard Anthony Beussink, 69, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 1, 1938, in Leopold, Mo., son of Herman and Mary Holzum Beussink. He and Clarice Elfrink were married Sept. 17, 1960, in Leopold...

Lillian Boehme Harmon, 88, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Scott City, died Monday, April 28, 2008. Lillian was born April 10, 1920, in Jackson, daughter of Charles and Bertha Loeb Boehme. She is survived by daughters, Martha (Bill) Joiner of Cape Girardeau, LaDonna (Jim) Suttle of Santa Barbara, Calif.; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Andrew "Banjo" Chapman, 71, of Puxico, died Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at the family home. He was born Oct. 22, 1936, in Delta, Mo., son of James "Pete" and Jessie Burlbaugh Chapman. He and Vickie L. Clark were married Feb. 23, 1980...

Evelyn M. Brooks, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Dec. 13, 1918, in Pang-burn, Ark., daughter of John and Willey Goad Graham. She and Luin Brooks were married May 14, 1939. He died Jan. 20, 1987...

Oren O. "Bud" Campbell, 67, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born July 13, 1940, in Decatur, Ill., son of Oren O. and Dorothy McGlade Campbell. He and June Blaylock were married Oct. 26, 1963, in Carbondale, Ill...

Joe Shoemaker has accepted the position as boys basketball coach and athletic director at Oran High School. Shoemaker leaves Advance after leading the Hornets basketball team for the past four seasons. Shoemaker did not return phone messages left for him Wednesday inquiring about his decision...

LEOPOLD — Cody Van De Ven's curveball was sharp Wednesday against Saxony Lutheran. And the defense behind him looked even better. Van De Ven, a senior, tossed six strong innings and Wildcats shortstop Ryan Davis made two crucial defensive plays to lead Leopold to a 4-3 home win over the Crusaders...

STE. GENEVIEVE — Zach Vaeth had to like what he saw each time he teed up Wednesday at Ste. Genevieve Golf Club. A lot of wide open spaces. Few hazards and few out-of-bounds markers. "Out here, it's so open, you can take risks," Vaeth said...

The only thing that stood between Nicole McLard and perfection was a hit batter. McLard struck out 16 and didn't allow a hit to lead the Saxony Lutheran softball team to a 1-0 victory over Leopold on Wednesday. The Crusaders scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh. Angel Stone came in to score on a sacrifice bunt by Kara Versemann...

Byrd Settlement Society of Jackson attended the National Convention of the Children of the American Revolution held recently in Virginia. The society was named the nation's outstanding CAR Society for 2008. CAR is the nation's oldest, largest, patriotic youth organization that offers membership to anyone younger than 21 who is lineally descended from someone who served in the Continental Army or gave material aid in the American Revolution...

The Carson Center, Paducah, Ky. The Bob & Tom Comedy All Stars show brings Donnie Baker, David Crowe, Patti Vasquez, Tim Wilson and Roy Wood Jr. for your enjoyment. Many of the best comedians in North America appear weekly on The Bob and Tom Show. ...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrest n Brian L. Gay, 25, of Malden, Mo., was arrested on two Cape Girardeau warrants for contempt of court for no insurance and revoked operator's license...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Robert E. "Jumbo" Stone, 64, of Cobden died Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at his home. He was born March 30, 1944, in Cobden, son of Robert and Lula Barker Stone. Survivors include five daughters, Pam Peterman of Cobden, Leona Bone of Dongola, Ill., Amy Goins and Jennifer Pender of Alto Pass, Ill., Sue Stone of Murphysboro, Ill.; two sons, James Stone of Alto Pass, Bill Stone of Cobden; four sisters, Edith Hartsock of Jonesboro, Ill., Bonnie Hankey of St. ...

ANNA, Ill. -- Grace Elaine Rushing, 93, of Anna died Monday, April 28, 2008, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 16, 1915, in Anna, daughter of Harvey and Edna Kimmel Plott. She and Herrel E. Rushing were married Dec. 24,1933, in Anna. He died April 14, 1986...

Professors and staff at Southeast Missouri State University called for a greater emphasis on infrastructure at a strategic planning forum Wednesday. Participants clapped loudly when a member of facilities management suggested going beyond "cosmetic changes" and focusing on basic plumbing and electrical work...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The House has given initial approval to legislation lifting the state gas tax this summer. But the bill still needs another vote before moving to the Senate, and there are only about two weeks left in the session. Consumers would still pay the state's 17-cent gas tax but could later petition for reimbursement. The legislation would apply to gas bought from May 24 through midnight Sept. 2. It would apply only this year...

A virus slipped past protections at Southeast Missouri State University Tuesday, causing Information Technology to mandate computers be turned off until the bug could be wiped from the server. The server was functional again by midday Wednesday, but "less than a dozen" computers were affected to the point they were not operational. ...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Marine scientists studying the carcass of a rare colossal squid said Wednesday they had measured its eye at about 11 inches across -- bigger than a dinner plate -- making it the largest animal eye on Earth. One of the squid's two eyes, with a lens as big as an orange, was found intact as the scientists examined the creature while it was slowly defrosted at New Zealand's national museum. ...

PERFORMING ARTS Guitar ensemble concert Southeast Missouri State University Guitar Ensemble will play a free concert. Where: Shuck Music Recital Hall, River Campus When: 7:30 p.m. today LIve music Underberg House Concert...

May 1, 2008 Dear Julie, Many Western visitors to India are afflicted with a condition known only half-bemusedly as "Delhi belly." The cocktail of unfamiliar microbes and unremittingly spicy foods can send your stomach into revolt and did mine. Only powerful medicine prescribed beforehand by my doctor just in case helped me recover enough to see the Taj Mahal...

LONDON -- Ian McKellen will again take up the robes of Gandalf the Wizard in the cinematic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic "The Hobbit," a British film magazine reported Wednesday. But McKellen's publicist warned that final arrangements were yet to be made...

For a collection they worked a year to make, Rochelle Steffen and Nathan Pierce couldn't settle with only displaying one piece in their Senior BFA shows. The artists and friends decided to take over the Untitled Gallery for their final performance as students...

PHOENIX -- Fire crews that had initially feared hot, windy weather would inflame a wildfire that burned lazily on the edge of Grand Canyon National Park expressed confidence Wednesday the fire would not grow. Firefighters were able to hold the 3.2-square-mile fire behind containment lines despite wind gusts as high as 30 mph; it was 60 percent contained. Winds were expected to be calmer today, when crews plan to put out hot spots...

Sam's Club, the membership warehouse subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., is reviving food donations to local food pantries two years after halting the practice in favor of giving cash, the world's largest retailer said Wednesday. Sam's Club announced that a pilot program in St. Louis will be rolled out to about 560 of its 593 U.S. stores by late summer in coordination with America's Second Harvest, the largest national food bank organization...

WASHINGTON -- Pentagon officials are quietly considering a significant change in the war command in Afghanistan to extend U.S. control of forces into the country's volatile south. The idea is partly linked to an expectation of a fresh infusion of U.S. combat troops in the south next year...

DALLAS -- From the start, Avery Johnson was a perfect fit as coach of the Dallas Mavericks. At the end, it was pretty obvious he wasn't. Johnson lost his job Wednesday, a move the team referred to as "relieving him of his duties." The softer tone made sense considering that in three-plus seasons Johnson guided the Mavericks to the finals for the first time and to a club-record 67 wins the following season...

BEIJING -- Chinese mountaineers made final preparations Wednesday to take the Olympic flame up Mount Everest in a grand but contentious feat that is being accorded an unusual mixture of fanfare and secrecy. As China marked 100 days before the start of the Olympics, state-run television began the first of what were billed as elaborate and technically difficult live broadcasts from Everest's base camp for the journey up the world's tallest peak...

The office of federal prosecutor Catherine Hanaway released the following item: Pleaded guilty Name: Jimmie Reed Jr. Age: 24 Residence: Cape Girardeau Charge: Possession of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute...

ST. LOUIS -- Rick Ankiel's big series helped the surprising Cardinals win a franchise-record 18 games this month. Braden Looper worked six solid innings and Ankiel again supplied much of the offense with three hits and two RBIs to cap an 8-for-13 series, helping St. Louis hand Aaron Harang another tough-luck loss Wednesday with a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Significantly more Butler County children were included in hot line calls of abuse and neglect last year than the higher population Cape Girardeau County, according to the Missouri Department of Social Services DSS reported almost 860 children in Butler County were involved in hotline calls in fiscal year 2007 compared to nearly 750 in Cape Girardeau County. Respectively, in 2006 the counties had estimated populations of 41,600 and 72,000...

If you want rap, rock, pop, country, hip hop, jazz or blues, head to the Bluff City this weekend. The annual Memphis in May International festival begins this weekend with the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tenn. Sheryl Crow, My Chemical Romance, Santana, Seether, O.A.R and The Black Crowes are only a few of the national names gracing the stages this year...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Leo Rozier, 93, of Perryville died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at his home. Visitation will be from 4 to 7:30 p.m. today and 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday at Young and Sons Funeral Home. The Catholic wake will be at 4 p.m. today. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Vincent de Paul Church, with the Rev. Charles Prost officiating. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery with military rites to be conducted...

PATTON, Mo. -- George Guell, 73, of Patton died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Parkland Health Center in Farmington, Mo. He was born Aug. 18, 1934, in Caledonia, Ill., son of Gilbert George and Vera Edgel Guell. He and Dardanell Rambow were married Jan. 4, 1969, in Rockford, Ill...

Hulvey Son to Carl Heston and Tina Marie Hulvey of Marble Hill, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:21 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Name, Heston William. Weight, 6 pounds, 15 ounces. Third child, first son. Mrs. Hulvey is the former Tina Wells, daughter of Earnest Wells and Nadine Wells of Marble Hill. Hulvey is the son of Glenda Hulvey of Marble Hill, and the late Clearance Hulvey. He is employed at Schaefer's Electrical Enclosures in Advance, Mo...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Big Brown's all in and so is the filly Eight Belles, a perfect combination for an intriguing 134th Kentucky Derby. Unbeaten in three career starts, Florida Derby winner Big Brown was stamped the 3-1 favorite for Saturday's 1-mile Derby after drawing the far outside No. 20 post position. Eight Belles, taking on the boys for the first time, drew the No. 5 post and was 20-1 on the morning line set by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia...

1. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle (Plume) (NF-P) 2. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion) (NF-H) 3. "Hold Tight" by Harlan Coben (Dutton Adult) (F-H) 4. "Just Who Will You Be? Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within." by Maria Shriver (Hyperion) (NF-H)...

SUFFOLK, Va. — Beth Catania returned Wednesday to the home that had collapsed around her during a tornado to see what she could retrieve. She came away with a few small items, including an antique domino that was a gift from her son. "There isn't anything there," said Catania, who hid in a closet that exploded as the tornado broke apart the house she recently put on the market. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. — Two Sikeston men have been arrested after detectives with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety recovered stolen property from at least 10 burglaries that stretch back to late 2007, according to a news release from Sikeston police...

This Mother's Day you can take mom to see the classic story of a mother's love, the bonds of friendship and share a few catty laughs at the River City Players presentation of Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias." The community theater group, which performs dinner theater at Port Cape, decided to bring back the play after a decade's absence. They threw in a Mother's Day matinee for good measure this year...

Elephants, tigers and fire — oh my. It can only mean one thing: The circus is coming to town, red noses, blue hair and all. Three shows Saturday and one performance Sunday each guarantee two hours of nonstop action in the ring. The new show from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Boom A Ring, is a one-ring circus with "more of a European style with a more intimate setting," production manager Jason Gibson said...

Barrel racing n Flickerwood Showdown: The Flickerwood Arena in Jackson will host the Flickerwood Showdown IX Barrel Race from Friday through Sunday. The Flickerwood Showdown IX Barrel Racing Series is eight barrel races held on four separate weekends throughout the year. Admission: Free. Info: Mark Boardman, 243-3876....

A bill to study whether to extend the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail eastward to the Atlantic Coast is on the desk of President Bush, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced Wednesday. The proposal, sponsored by Emerson, a Cape Girardeau Republican, and included in a bill along with other similar measures designed to recognize historic and cultural locations, was passed Tuesday, Emerson said in a news release issued by her office...

Edwards records hole in one Don Edwards scored a hole in one on hole No. 13 at Dalhousie Golf Club last week. The hole was playing 152 yards, and he used a 6-iron. Dick Swartz and Bob Denton witnessed the shot. Southbound Ballers win boys varsity division...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A memorial service for Eldon B. Bohnert Sr. of Perryville will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Monsignor Richard Buchheit will officiate. Bohnert, 55, died Friday, March 28, 2008, at his home. Young and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

Counties could get a little more money next year for housing state prisoners. State lawmakers voted to cut the inmate reimbursement rate to counties in 2002 when faced with a budget crunch. The increase approved Wednesday by House and Senate budget negotiators still wouldn't return the state funding to the 2002 level, but it would come close...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Dunklin County Coroner Jack Adkins confirmed that the autopsy he performed on Jacqueline Harrell Farmer, 47, of Kennett revealed she died as a result of a homicide. Adkins said he was unable to release the full details relating to the cause of death until he received permission from the Kennett Police Department...

First of all, if you haven't seen "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," do so immediately. It's not necessary to understand "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," but it is an amazing movie and should definitely be seen...

WASHINGTON -- Scrambling to shore up the faltering economy, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to the lowest point in nearly four years Wednesday as the nation teetered on the edge of recession. Wall Street rallied at first but then pulled back, concerned that the reduction might be the last for a while...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder gave up nine runs in his fourth rehabilitation start, an indication he's far from ready to return from September shoulder surgery. Pitching for Class AAA Memphis, Mulder allowed nine hits -- three homers -- and seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings...

The VFW Ladies Auxiliary will hold steak night at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Cape VFW hall, 1049 N. Kingshighway. — From staff reports

Madonna, "Hard Candy," (Warner Bros.) Madonna may be a 49-year-old working mom, but she still loves her dance floor, her catsuits and her pop hooks. She's also an expert chameleon, co-opting current musical tastes for her own pleasure. In the case of "Hard Candy," her final studio album for Warner Bros. following a landmark deal with concert promoter Live Nation, Madonna aims high, enlisting two of music's heavyweight producers -- Timbaland and the Neptunes...

The Cape Girardeau School Board is to be commended for the emphasis it is putting on financial accounting, particularly in light of some major problems over the years in the way the district has handled its finances, having a cumulative effect of undermining the public's confidence...

Jackson Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday: n A carbon monoxide alarm on North Georgia Street. n A fire alarm at Spring Lake Trail. Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: n Emergency medical service on East Adams Street...

BAGHDAD -- The killings of five U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad pushed the American death toll for April up to 49, making it the deadliest month since September. One soldier died when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. The second died of wounds sustained when he was attacked by small-arms fire, the military said Wednesday. Both incidents occurred Tuesday in northwestern Baghdad...

MOSCOW -- For nine decades after Bolshevik executioners gunned down Czar Nicholas II and his family, there were no traces of the remains of Crown Prince Alexei, the hemophiliac heir to Russia's throne. Some said the delicate 13-year-old had somehow survived and escaped; others believed his bones were lost in Russia's vastness, buried in secret amid fear and chaos as the country lurched into civil war...

Patsy J. Luttrell, 72, of Millersville died Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

DEXTER, Mo. An early morning accident involving a Dexter school bus and a passenger van sent at least two people to the hospital today. Preliminary reports indicated that the bus, driven by Jayne James, who is a regular driver of Bus No. 8 for the district, was eastbound on Grant Street and was proceeding through the intersection of Grant and One Mile Road at about 7:30 this morning when it struck a southbound van that was already proceeding through the intersection...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Doctors, dentists and other health-care providers will be getting more money from Missouri's Medicaid program. But the adult patients they treat won't be getting greater benefits. House and Senate budget negotiators agreed Wednesday to increase the Medicaid payment rates for doctors' visits and other medical services. The higher payments will cost at least $62 million in state tax dollars, plus a greater amount of federal money...

Walk for ALS will be held Saturday at Arena Park A 5K walk to defeat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Arena Park. Registration is at 9 a.m. Call 888-873-8539 or visit www.alsa-stl.org for more information or registration...

At 4 a.m. on most days, Michael Leggett is getting ready to make giant Western omelets, one of his specialties at the No Name Cafe in Chaffee, Mo. At $5.60, it is the menu's most expensive item. "As long as I make a living and the girls make a living, I'm happy," he said, referring to his six waitresses...

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas officials told legislators Wednesday that they're investigating the possible sexual abuse of some boys taken from a polygamist sect's ranch, as well as broken bones among other children. The disclosures are the first suggestions that anyone other than teenage girls may have been sexually or physically abused at the ranch run by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a renegade Mormon sect...

MILWAUKEE -- Maurice Pulley agreed last fall to testify against the thug accused of shooting him in the face in an argument over a parking spot. But before Pulley ever took the stand, two gunmen ran up to him and killed him in his mother's driveway...

BEIJING -- China has stepped up persecution of Buddhist monks with mass detentions, Tibet activists said Wednesday, as China prepares to take the Olympic torch to the top of Mount Everest. The actions came a day after six monks were given lengthy prison sentences in the first trial of rioters since deadly violence in Tibet's capital last month...

Gallery 125 Central High School Senior Art Exhibition features 30 art students and 200 works on display. Reception from 5:30 to 9 p.m. 125 N. Main St.; 335-6850 Edward Bernard Gallery New jewelry from Bronwen Heilman of Tucson, Ariz., from her "John Lennon" series and her new lariats with handmade glass beads. The featured piece is an unleaded pewter torso sculpture made by Rock Richardson of Santa Fe, N.M...

VIENNA, Austria -- Police say Josef Fritzl left a lot of human wreckage in his wake: the daughter he imprisoned and raped for 24 years, the seven children he fathered with her and the wife whose life he shattered. Yet for an atrocity that has stunned the world, he may wind up serving just 15 years in prison if charged, tried and convicted...

25 years ago: May 1, 1983 Later this month, the House of Discernment, a place where young women considering the call to religious life may experience community living, will move from Ritter Drive, across from Notre Dame High School, to the School Sisters of Notre Dame House, 607 William St.; in August a new director, Sister Loretta Vetter, OSF, will replace Sister Doris Moore, DC...

The Red House Interpretive Center's new hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. May is African American Month at the Red House. Special group tours may be arranged by calling the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau at 335-1631. Special events are:...

Authorities are calling on anyone with information about suspects or possible witnesses to a fatal Tuesday fire to come forward. "We need help, anything that would help to narrow the focus of our investigation because right now, it's pretty broad," said Sgt. Barry Hovis, spokesman for the Cape Girardeau-Bollinger Major Case Squad...

Everything is going green, and I'm not talking about gardens and lawns. I'm talking about houses made of Styrofoam, Lollapalooza offering carbon offsets, bands donating part of their T-shirt sales to charity or even making the T-shirts out of recycled materials...

The Central Junior High production of "The Wizard of Oz" starts May 8 and runs through a matinee performance May 11. Margaret Pellegrini, an original cast member from the movie, will be available for autographs one hour before performances. ...

Watered down ETHANOL MAY be the cause of recent reports of bad gasoline. Why? Because all underground service-station tanks contain small amounts of water. This level increases when gasoline containing ethanol is added to these tanks. ...

Leading sports agent, author and lawyer Ronald M. Shapiro will lecture on the Southeast Missouri State University campus today and give a presentation Friday morning for the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. Shapiro, who has represented baseball greats Cal Ripken Jr. ...

Grasping lunch boxes and holding hands, about 100 students took to the sidewalk along Masters Drive on a trek to school Wednesday. The hike was part of Walk to School Day, designed to encourage environmentalism and fend off rising obesity among children...

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Even a four-game playoff scenario was too much for the BCS. Bowl Championship Series officials rejected a plan Wednesday to turn the much-criticized system for deciding a national champ into a four-team playoff, starting in the 2010 season...

In romance, timing is everything. The same is true, it seems, for fish. For the past several weeks, researchers have waited anxiously for the moment when two mature female pallid sturgeon leave the comfortable water in Cape Bend Chute and bolt upstream to spawn...

The state fire marshal's office has been called on to examine a possible arson that occurred late Tuesday night in Scott City and demolished a historic schoolhouse in the Illmo District. The Head School, a one-room schoolhouse, burned nearly to the ground. Scott City fire chief Jay Cassout said the fire began at the rear of the building...

STE. GENEVIEVE -- Cody Miller picked the perfect day for his first career hole in one. Miller aced the 125-yard 12th hole Wednesday in the Class 1 District 1 meet at Ste. Genevieve Golf Club, and that helped the Advance senior reach the state tournament for the first time...

The music line up continues to grow for June 14th Teen Challenge Music Festival. The new adds are Alethia & Tyler Montgomery. Tyler Montgomery(www.tylermontgomery.com) is from Dexter, Missouri. He has been a fan of music since birth. Among his first birthday gifts were a trap set, sax and guitar. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri lawmakers have approved the creation of a specific crime of mortgage fraud. The bill cleared the House on Thursday and now goes to the governor. It creates fines and allows for the licenses of real estate brokers, agents and appraisers to be revoked...

NEWTONIA, Mo. (AP) -- A bill to find ways to preserve the Newtonia Civil War battlefields is headed to President Bush after securing final congressional approval Wednesday. The bill was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt. It authorizes the National Park Service to conduct a study to determine if the Newtonia sites could be made a separate unit of the park service or brought under the management of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield near Springfield...

BENTON, Mo. — Scott County may begin recording all phone lines at the Scott County Jail and Sheriff's Department offices. County Commissioners discussed the idea of recording phone calls with Tom Beardslee, the county's new 911 director, during the regular county commission meeting Tuesday. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- In an effort to win legislative approval of the deal, Missouri has scaled back the incentives it is offering for Canadian airplane maker Bombardier Aerospace to open a plant in Kansas City. Under a revised plan to be debated Thursday, Missouri would provide significantly less money in tax credits to Bombardier, with greater protections for taxpayers, but also could receive significantly less money from Bombardier in future royalty payments...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A St. Louis County judge has lowered the bond requirements for a jailed man charged with accidentally killing a Good Samaritan. Prosecutors say 19-year-old Aaron Poisson accidentally ran over and killed a Good Samaritan who was chasing Poisson after he allegedly stole a tip jar from a Starbucks...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis County police say they've received confirmation from a medical examiner that a skull found in a wooded area is from an adult man. The skull had a hole in it, but it is not believed the hole was caused by a shooting or other trauma...

CHICAGO -- United Airlines and US Airways saw their first attempt at marriage foiled earlier this decade by the deal's high cost coupled with opposition from lawmakers, unions and consumers. This time, a proposal for them to combine could face an easier route to approval in Washington, where the last bid died in July 2001. But first it has to get past unhappy pilots and other obstacles that could ground any bid to create the world's largest airline...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Grounding their concerns, Missouri senators passed a $240 million package of state tax enticements Thursday aimed at landing a Canadian company's new airplane assembly plant at Kansas City International Airport. The incentives for Bombardier Aerospace cleared the Senate by a 24-8 vote, but only after the state revised its offer by reducing the tax credits and adding greater protections for taxpayers in case the project turns sour...

Patsy J. Luttrell, 72, of Millersville passed away Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 22, 1935, in Jackson, daughter of the late Elam and Alma Bollinger Criddle. She and Bill Luttrell were married Dec. 25, 1954, in Patton, Mo...

Ronald Joseph Huber, 64, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born April 10, 1944, in Perryville, Mo., son of Lester and Lillian Cissell Huber. He and Janet M. Sutterer were married April 23, 1966, in Perryville...

George E. Robinson, 42, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, April 29, 2008, as the result of a fire at his home. He was born Sept. 21, 1965, in Cape Girardeau, son of Lee and Lucy Carter Robinson. Robinson was a graduate of Central High School. He had worked for the city of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department. He previously worked at Magna-Tel...

Other than more team success, Michelle Summers, Megan McDonald and Elaine Fisher wouldn't change a thing about their experience at Southeast Missouri State. "It's been great," said Summers, as McDonald and Fisher nodded in agreement. The wins haven't come as frequently as they would have liked, but it's hard to blame that on the Redhawks' three record-setting seniors...

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball program announced with a news release Thursday the signing of three players for next year's team. The Redhawks added point guard Bijon Jones, center/power forward Israel Kirk and forward Stuart Pirre. Jones, a 5-foot-10 transfer from Motlow Community College, averaged seven points, four assists and two steals per game. ...

Central senior Garrett Stevens pitched the Tigers to the SEMO Conference tournament title by recording two complete-game victories in three days. He shut out Sikeston in the first round Saturday 4-0 and then came back Monday in the title game to toss seven strong innings in a 2-1 win over Notre Dame...

The illustrious career of Southeast Missouri State track and field coach Joey Haines is winding down as Haines will retire following this season. That's why Haines considers it a blessing that Southeast is hosting his final Ohio Valley Conference meet...

Woodland hurler Kyle Reynolds tossed a complete game to lead the Cardinals past Advance 4-2 on the road Thursday. Reynolds allowed two earned runs on 11 hits while striking out two, walking none and hitting two batters. Reynolds pitched his way out of jams in four different innings, including a bases-loaded situation in the sixth. ...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University is warning students and staff at the Carbondale school to be mindful that fawning season is around the corner. Officials hope for a repeat of last summer, when there were no reports of deer attacks on humans on the wooded campus for the first time in three years...

ANNA, Ill. -- Anne Kaineg, 87, of Watseka, Ill., formerly of Anna, died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at her home. Crain Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements.

Lorena Ochoa felt helpless as too many shots ballooned into relentless gusts that reached 36 mph Thursday, sending her to only her second round over par this year. Stranger still was listening to her describe a 2-over 73 at the SemGroup Championship in Broken Arrow, Okla...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- House Republicans have resurrected an effort to require Missourians to show a photo ID to vote. A House committee approved a measure Thursday changing the state constitution to allow laws requiring voters to prove their citizenship and legal residence in Missouri...

Nancy Jernigan stood in front of more than 150 people Thursday and began unbuttoning her blouse. A dozen or more others stood next to their chairs and followed suit, each revealing identical T-shirts proclaiming, "Live United." "No matter who we are, we are still people," United Way of Southeast Missouri board member Karen Kraus told the crowd...

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Several fully loaded barges broke loose on the flood-swollen Mississippi River, striking two key bridges and forcing a halt to highway and railroad traffic early Thursday. Three of the five barges that came loose hit the U.S. 34 bridge that connects Burlington, Iowa, and Gulfport, Ill., said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Tim Whalen...

BAGHDAD -- Two suicide bombers attacked a wedding caravan Thursday as it drove through a crowded market district past bystanders cheering the bride and groom, killing at least 35 people and wounding 65 in a town northeast of Baghdad, officials said...

WASHINGTON — Don't be fooled by a larger-than-expected increase in consumer spending. People aren't buying more — they're just paying more for their purchases, raising doubts about whether the 130 million stimulus payments the government began sending out this week will be enough to lift consumers' sagging spirits...

To the editor: If we see a symbol that helps us to get through the day, month or year, we usually grab onto it. My concern is the cross at Alto Pass in Illinois. Just this last weekend there was thousands of motorcycles there. How many of those people have skills they could donate to help in the restoration of the cross? How many ordinary people have the skills to give of their time to help this landmark for our part of the country?...

"I just don't like your uterus" is never a welcome statement, but it is especially unfortunate when coming from the mouth of a fertility specialist. This was the reality facing Kate Holbrook (Tina Fey), an aspiring mother-to-be, in the comedy "Baby Mama."...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Sheraton M. Lockridge, 18, 800 S. Ellis St., was arrested on a Sikeston, Mo., warrant for contempt of court for larceny. n Two girls were cited into juvenile court for peace disturbance...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to legislation that creates the specific crime of mortgage fraud. The legislation defines mortgage fraud as making false statements or failing to disclose material facts. It creates fines and allows for the licenses of real estate brokers, agents and appraisers to be revoked. It also bars attempts to influence real estate appraisals through extortion or bribery...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: n At 5:24 p.m., emergency medical service at East Rodney and Conservation drives. n At 7:58 p.m., a smoke scare at 2806 Independence St. Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

Inflammatory remarks PEOPLE CAN believe what they want about the candidates and the people who support them, like the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. But the bottom line is if any of the other candidates' pastors had been filmed making the inflammatory remarks that Wright did, that would be broadcast all over the news and used against them by their opponents...

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- U.S. missiles destroyed the house of the man identified by the U.S. military as the top al-Qaida commander in Somalia, killing him and 10 others Thursday in a pre-dawn attack that analysts warned could torpedo peace talks. The killing of Aden Hashi Ayro comes amid escalating fighting and a spiraling humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa nation...

CHICAGO -- Thousands of chanting, flag-waving immigrants and activists rallied Thursday across the U.S., attempting to reinvigorate calls for immigration reform in a presidential election year where the economy has taken center stage. "We come to let Washington know we're still here. ...

To the editor: Regarding the letter "Student should have gone to ER," which suggested that teachers should have first-aid training: This is an excellent idea. Everyone who works for the city, a school district or a medical facility should be trained in CPR and first aid. It was done in Seattle, and a joke formed around the training: If you trip on a sidewalk in Seattle, 10 people will try to give you CPR whether you need it or not...

SAN FRANCISCO — The boos began before Barry Zito even took the mound for the San Francisco Giants home opener. The idiosyncratic left-hander, brought in with a gaudy $126 million contract to be the face of the Giants in the post-Barry Bonds era, delivered an underwhelming first season in 2007, going just 11-13...

The Jackson School District will hold a Saturday School for incoming kindergartners to give them a preview of next year and to help with the transition. Children will be able to ride on a bus, eat in the cafeteria and work in the classroom. The event will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the elementary school the child will attend...

ST. LOUIS -- Friends, relatives and colleagues of the late Steve Fossett gathered at Washington University to pay homage to the alumnus and self-made businessman and adventurer. Fossett, a longtime Washington University trustee and booster, was declared legally dead in February after disappearing during a solo airplane flight. He was 63...

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County may begin recording all phone lines at the Scott County Jail and the sheriff's department. County commissioners discussed the idea of recording phone calls with Tom Beardslee, the county's new 911 director, during the regular county commission meeting Tuesday...

Beltz Son to Ryan and Jennie Lea Beltz of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:31 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Name, Connor Matthew. Weight, 8 pounds, 1 ounce. First child. Mrs. Beltz is the former Jennie Matthews, daughter of Jim and Debbie Matthews of Jackson. She is employed at Montgomery Bank in Jackson. Beltz is the son of Jeff and Laura Beltz of Jackson. He is employed by Brad Beussink Construction in Jackson...

Marybeth Williams of Jackson was one of those individuals whose personality, attitude and charm suited her well to be an ambassador for her hometown, a role she relished as executive director of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce the past three years. Williams died Sunday after a brief battle with pneumonia...

ST. LOUIS — Getting to the point where the countdown to 300 saves could begin was quite an ordeal for St. Louis Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen. Isringhausen earned No. 290 with a perfect ninth inning Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds. He's tied for the National League lead with nine saves in 11 chances...

NEW YORK -- After three decades of keeping mum, Barbara Walters is disclosing a past affair with married U.S. Senator Edward Brooke, whom she remembers as "exciting" and "brilliant." Appearing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" scheduled to air Tuesday, Walters shares details of her relationship with Brooke that lasted several years in the 1970s, according to a transcript of the show provided to The Associated Press...

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. -- A woman convicted two weeks ago of being the "D.C. Madam" hanged herself Thursday, apparently making good on her vow never to go to prison for running a high-end Washington prostitution ring. The body of Deborah Jeane Palfrey was found in a shed near her mother's home about 20 miles northwest of Tampa. Police said the 52-year-old Palfrey left at least two suicide notes and other writings to her family in a notebook, but did not disclose their contents...

Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation Thursday that will make it easier and cheaper for people to become teachers. The legislation will allow "experienced professionals" to be certified to teach after 60 practice hours in the classroom and the completion of preparing-to-teach workshops. The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, a Washington not-for-profit group, will administer the certification process...

It's hard to praise sportsmanship without sounding like a chump. We celebrate cunning, guile and trash-talking in our games every day, but sportsmanship exactly once a year, which in case you missed it, officially came and went March 4. Yet every so often, those same games produce a gesture so grand it reminds you that sportsmanship always will be more about strength than weakness. Maybe that's why it remains the exception instead of the rule...

What happens when you mix vinegar with baking soda? It creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas that will blow up a balloon. Make sure an adult is present. Ingredients n Vinegar n Baking soda n Balloon n Bottle with a narrow neck...

SASABE, Mexico -- The sandy streets of Sasabe are empty. Migrant smugglers have to hunt for business at border-town shelters. Deported migrants give up after one try, taking their government up on free bus rides home. A U.S. crackdown is causing the longest and most significant drop in illegal migration from Mexico since the Sept. ...

WASHINGTON -- Congress sent President Bush a bill Thursday forbidding employers and insurance companies from using genetic tests showing people are at risk of developing cancer, heart disease or other ailments to reject their job applications, promotions or health-care coverage, or in setting premiums...

25 years ago: May 2, 1983 A record 46-foot crest of the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau is predicted for next Sunday, marking the third flood to hit this area since December, and potentially the worst; continued heavy rains in the area have caused an already-swollen river to rise again...

WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- The Air Force grounded all T-38C training jets Thursday, following the second fatal crash involving the aircraft in eight days, the military said. Two pilots died when their high-altitude, supersonic plane went down during a routine training mission, according a statement from Sheppard Air Force Base...

HONORS n Wade Cramer of Jackson was recognized April 17 at an Honors Day ceremony for seniors at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. Cramer, a member of the honor society Phi Eta Sigma, will graduate May 10. n Saxony Lutheran High School students competed in the Sikeston Bootheel Art Show. ...

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Kevin Durant was so excited to learn he had just won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, he went back to sleep. That's what seven months and 82 games -- more than double the amount the lanky 19-year-old had played in any previous season -- can do to a teenager...

It's hard to believe that, until last Saturday, my wife and I had never been to Brazeau, a tiny Perry County community with a well-deserved reputation for hospitality that stretches back 200 years. We rectified that during the 18th annual Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive that takes visitors to curious and familiar places in Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott and Bollinger counties. If anyone can think of a prettier day than last Saturday for such an outing, I'd love to hear about it...

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The ship was laden with tons of copper ingots, elephant tusks, gold coins -- and cannons to fend off pirates. But it had nothing to protect it from the fierce weather off a particularly bleak stretch of inhospitable African coast, and it sank 500 years ago...

GREENSBURG, Kan. -- A year after it was practically wiped off the map by a tornado, Greensburg is rising again -- and going green, too, with solar panels, wind turbines, tinted windows, water-saving toilets and other energy-efficient technology. Environmentalists and civic leaders have seized on the disaster as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-engineer the town...

When Hazel Jackson of Cape Girardeau moved out of her South Benton Street residence so some basic repairs could be made, she didn't think the building would be vandalized. When police told her some juveniles were in trouble for hanging out on her porch and accused of using drugs, she was concerned enough to have her son check on the residence...

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Five-year-old Lauren Landewee delivered the first in a series of prayers Thursday during the National Day of Prayer service at Centenary United Methodist Church. Centenary was one of the many churches in the area to hold a prayer service Thursday. Following the service, attendees released balloons symbolizing their prayers. National Day of Prayer services also were held at St. Andrew Lutheran Church and Rhema Word Ministries...

Friday's late-morning storm dropped almost two inches of rain, caused 197 AmerenUE customers to lose power and caused some flash flooding throughout the area. Spotters reported the flooding resulting from thunderstorms moving over the region around 11 a.m....

It seems like just yesterday we were all driving by the big brown brick house located at 611 South Sprigg Street and feeling a mixture of sadness and fear all at the same time. The weeds and vines seemed to be trying to swallow the house as fast as it was falling apart from neglect and vandalism. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Republican House member from suburban St. Louis has been nominated for a state board overseeing public employee elections on whether to join unions. Jim Avery says he will resign if confirmed by the Senate to the state Board of Mediation. His spot would expire in 2011...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is investigating a Wednesday night stabbing. At approximately 9:20 p.m., DPS received a 911 call stating a 33-year-old male had been stabbed outside his home at 503 Cole St. Upon arrival, officers found the victim, Dennis Banks, with a one-inch puncture wound to the upper right side of his chest...

GLADSTONE, Mo. (AP) -- Hurricane-force winds, hail and heavy rain moving through Missouri left hundreds of Kansas City-area homes and businesses damaged, and some destroyed. No serious injuries have been reported. About 23,000 customers were without power across the metro area as of midmorning, Kansas City Power & Light reported. At the peak of the storm, about 40,000 lost power...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A new homeless shelter will cover the hole in Sikeston's safety net. Debra Standridge and Gina Crowley, co-directors of the Guardian Angel Overnight Shelter, hope to see the facility open within the next two months. "There is a definite need," Crowley said. "There is no place that is free that you can stay for a single night."...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Light-rail advocate Clay Chastain says he'll appeal the dismissal of a lawsuit against Kansas City officials over repeal of a his rail plan for the city. Jackson County Judge John O'Malley ruled Thursday that supporters of Chastain had no grounds to sue Mayor Mark Funkhauser, most City Council members and the park director and park board...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Mosquitoes are buzzing around eastern Missouri earlier than usual this year, thanks to widespread spring flooding. Jefferson County Mosquito Control Coordinator Steve Crawford said the pesky insects hatch in stagnant water, and that a small amount inside a tire can hatch 1,000 mosquitoes or more...

Scott City and Cape Girardeau firefighters responded to a call around 6 a.m. today at the Southeast Missouri Port Authority at Scott City. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, it was believed to be an ammonia fire with heavy smoke. No flames were showing as of 7 a.m...

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. (AP) -- President Bush says he doesn't regret the decisions he's made in office and will leave his job possessing the same set of values as when he began. Bush appeared to grow nostalgic Friday as he held a nearly hour-long question-and-answer session with employees at World Wide Technology in suburban St. Louis...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Fares on the Dorena-Hickman Ferry are being raised. When the ferry will be back in operation is still unknown. Ferry officials met with Mississippi County commissioners during the regular County Commission meeting Thursday to get approval for the new fare schedule and provide an update on the ferry's status...

AP Movie Critic The whole point of a romantic comedy is the comfort of the ritual -- the familiarity of it all, as if you're wrapping yourself in a warm, snugly blanket of knowledge that the two attractive, charming leads will surely end up with each other in the end. The outcome is never in doubt, despite the various contrived obstacles that pop up along the way...

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (AP) -- A Truman State University student has been diagnosed with active tuberculosis. The student was isolated while undergoing treatment at a hospital since last week's diagnosis. Tuberculosis can damage the lungs and is spread through coughing, sneezing and speaking. There are two types -- latent tuberculosis, which is not a danger, and active tuberculosis, which requires treatment...

ALEXANDRIA, Mo. (AP) -- Flooding forces closure of a section of U.S. 61 near the Missouri-Iowa border. The flooding occurred near the convergence of the Mississippi and Des Moines rivers, forcing closure of a section of the highway near Alexandria, Mo., on Thursday...

Frosty temperatures early Tuesday morning in Cape Girardeau set a record low for that date, according to the National Weather Service.The recorded low temperature here reached 31 degrees, beating the previous record low for that date, 35, set in 1961.Record lows were also set in Paducah, Ky., and Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

WASHINGTON -- The economy showed off unexpected signs of resilience Friday as job losses slowed, the dollar gained a bit of muscle for a change and there were even indications that food prices may be easing. The unemployment rate dipped, though that may not last...

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve and other regulators initiated steps Friday to end "unfair and deceptive" credit card industry practices assailing consumers who are already struggling to cope in a bad economy. The proposed rules are aimed at protecting people from credit card companies that arbitrarily raise interest rates or don't give borrowers adequate time to pay their bills...

The eighth annual Bikers Helping Veterans event will be held Sunday. Area bikers Jerry Simpkins and Tom McGowan pioneered the affair eight years ago. McGowan has a soft spot for veterans, having served in Vietnam. "Bikers are always looking for something charitable to do," Simpkins said. He said his wife Maureen and McGowan's girlfriend, Chari Parsons, helped organize the event...

Emergency personnel responded to a smoldering fire in one of the buildings at the SEMO Port Authority in Scott City early Friday morning. The incident involved chemical reaction in a bay at Girardeau Stevedores, Scott City fire chief Jay Cassout said...

Solid preparation can trump raw talent in business and life, author Ronald Shapiro told audiences of business leaders and students this week as part of a two-day visit to Cape Girardeau to promote his latest book. Shapiro is a Baltimore lawyer and sports agent and founder of the Shapiro Negotiations Institute. ...

In addition to a full-scale arson investigation involving state, local and federal authorities in response to Tuesday's fatal fire at 203 S. Pacific St., Cape Girardeau police are looking into another fire that occurred Friday. Police responded to the call of a portable toilet on fire around 5:20 a.m. at the skate park on Fountain Street, said Cpl. Jason Selzer, spokesman for the police department...

Southeast Missouri State track and field coach Joey Haines knows the work is far from done for his men's team. But Haines came away feeling plenty good about things following Friday's opening day of the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor meet at Southeast's Abe Stuber Complex...

Southeast Missouri State senior John Berry enjoyed a pretty good 24 hours. Especially for somebody who originally joined the Redhawks' track and field program as a walk-on. Berry was named the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor male field athlete of the year in voting by the league's coaches Thursday...

Tony Spencer was not among Southeast Missouri State's most highly touted baseball recruits for this year. But it's hard to imagine anybody doing more for the Redhawks than the diminutive transfer from Mineral Area College. "He's been as valuable as anybody for us," Southeast coach Mark Hogan said...

By Tina Dohogne Eloise Moore is the last remaining RSVP volunteer from 1973. She has been with us for 35 years and will be turning 99 this year. Cliff Barlow is a VIC volunteer who was a student at Chaffee Elementary School in the first grade class where Eloise volunteered. He called her "Grandma Eloise."...

Erik Youngdahl and Michelle Garcia share a dorm room at Connecticut's Wesleyan University. But they say there's no funny business going on. Really. They mean it. They have set up their beds side by side like Lucy and Ricky in "I Love Lucy," and avert their eyes when one of them is changing clothes...

It looks like we have a serial arsonist -- or arsonists -- on our hands in Cape Girardeau. Many of the 19 suspicious fires started since 2005 appear to be connected. A map of all of the suspicious fires reported the last two-plus years shows a disturbing cluster of dots in the south section of town...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Sharon K. Storm, 61, 1408 Bessie St., was arrested on a Jasper County warrant for fraud. n Kevin M. Cox, 26, of 605 Minnesota Ave., was arrested on a Cape Girardeau warrant for failure to appear for suspended operator's license...

A graveside service for Larry Caldwell of Scott City will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Oakdale Cemetery in Commerce, Mo. The Rev. Jim Norris will officiate. Caldwell, 74, died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City is in charge of arrangements...

25 years ago: May 3, 1983 The Army Corps of Engineers and levee districts throughout the area are closely monitoring earthen main-line and secondary Mississippi River levees as the river continues to climb toward a predicted record 46 feet; with the Mississippi at 41.3 feet at Cape Girardeau, none of the levees appear to be threatened...

Recital etiquette IT IS that time again for band, choir and dance recitals. I enjoy attending to see how much the students have learned throughout the year. The students and teachers work hard to present a memorable program. It is so disappointing, though, to witness the rude behavior of the audience -- not the children, but many of the parents and grandparents. ...

Great Lakes Airlines will begin flights from Cape Girardeau to St. Louis International Airport on May 19. Flights from Cape Girardeau depart at 8:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. and from St. Louis at 7:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Saying he was "thrilled" over the return of service, airport manager Bruce Loy added that once the airline gets more planes, a third daily round-trip flight will be added to the schedule...

CAIRO, Ill. -- A forum titled "Cairo: Past, Present and Future" will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the Cairo Junior/Senior High School gym. The conference will feature journalist and media consultant Rachel Jones of Cairo. Discussion will center around themes from "The Cairo Project," an 80-page book about the community written by students from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's School of Journalism. ...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday: n At 9:40 p.m., emergency medical service in the unit block of South Sprigg Street. n At 10:28 p.m., an alarm sounding at 1700 N. Kingshighway. n At 11:42 p.m., emergency medical service in the 2800 block of Whitener Street...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Lawrence Stanley "Jim" Nance, 77, of Cobden died Friday, May 2, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 26, 1930, at Alto Pass, Ill., son of Charles Stanley and Louise Canada Nance. He and Eva Mae Cobb were married June 28, 1952, at Piggott, Ark...

DAMASCUS, Ark. -- Violent storms rolling across the nation's midsection unleashed tornadoes, high winds and hail in four states and killed seven people in Arkansas on Friday, including a teenager who died when a tree fell into her bedroom as she slept...

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Mary Ruth Kelso, 89, of Bell City died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield, Mo. She was born May 8, 1918, in Bell City, daughter of Clarence Lawson and Ola Mae Mitchell Proffer. She and Harvey E. Kelso were married April 1, 1935, at Bloomfield. He died June 10, 2006...

ANNA, Ill. -- Anne Kaineg, 87, of Watseka, Ill., formerly of Anna, died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at her home. She was born March 6, 1921, in Kankakee, Ill., daughter of James Thomas and Anne Gernon Burns. She and Raymond Kaineg were married Oct. 31, 1940. He died Nov. 2, 1996...

The Southeast Missouri Black and Gold Chapter of the Missouri University alumni association will host an event featuring the Mississippi River Hills Association, which serves to market Missouri wine producers, food products plus artisans, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at OAKS Senior Center, 2690 Traveler's Way in Jackson...

Friday's memorial service for Marybeth Williams mixed tears and laughter. Williams died from pneumonia Sunday at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was 55. Her pastor, the Rev. Grant Gillard, said during Williams' sudden illness he got the feeling "everyone in the county knew her."...

Schwendemann Son to Michael Robert and Vannesa Lin Schwendemann of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:33 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2008. Name, Joseph Michael. Weight, 8 pounds, 6 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Schwendemann is the former Vannesa Torrey, daughter of Donna Torrey of Portageville, Mo. She is a medical technologist at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Schwendemann is the son of Ann Schwendemann of Portageville. He is a crew leader with Missouri Department of Transportation...

LAS VEGAS -- A man authorities suspect was poisoned by ricin found in his motel room pleaded not guilty Friday to possession of a biological toxin and weapons charges. A June 17 trial was scheduled for Roger Bergendorff, who has been in federal custody since his April 16 arrest. The charges carry a possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a $750,000 fine...

To the editor: A few years ago, Bill Port attempted to promote a community calendar, hoping to eliminate conflicting dates for local event. The first meeting was well-attended, and those at the meeting agreed this was a marvelous idea. What happens to marvelous ideas? It sounds almost like politics. Future meetings became less well-attended, and the marvelous idea went by the wayside. The enthusiasm was not followed by action...

Nina M. Johnson, 82, of Jackson died Friday, May 2, 2008, at Monticello House. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Edgar V. Sewing, 83, of Gordonville died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at his home. He was born Feb. 16, 1925, in Gordonville, son of Fredrick and Anna Grossheider Sewing. Sewing lived and worked on the family farm east of Gordonville all his life. He attended Zion Lutheran School and Abernathy School near Gordonville, and was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church in Gordonville...

PATTON, Mo. -- Warren E. Jordan, 79, of Patton died Friday, May 2, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 30, 1929, at Oblong, Ill., son of Raymond Everett and Ada Celeste Jordan. He and Viola May Farquhar were married in 1950 at Olney, Ill. She died in 1980. He and Betty Arlene Shell were married in 1994...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Norma O. Hoss, 76, of Ullin died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at her home. She was born June 11, 1931, in Ullin, to Elmer and Fridiline Baumgart Brust. She married Richard E. Hoss Sept. 5, 1955. He preceded her in death Aug. 23, 1998. She was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. She had worked as a tour guide...

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- For a town that relies on tourism, perceptions of flooding can be almost as bad as the real thing. Hannibal is finding that out again, as businesses and attractions are getting frantic calls from tourists who apparently believe Mark Twain's hometown is under water...

Gladys S. Medlin, 99, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, May 1, 2008, in Tacoma, Wash. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Franklin Elementary School in Cape Girardeau will hold a celebration in honor of its 80th anniversary this school year. The event will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the school, 215 N. Louisiana Ave. Alumni are invited for tours, scrapbook viewings and refreshments...

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- President Bush came here to talk about the economy Friday. But during a question-and-answer session after his speech, Bush grew reflective and spoke at length about his time in the White House, which is drawing to a close. In observations ranging from the lofty to the mundane (he said furniture in White House left him feeling like he was "living in museum"), Bush said he never expected to serve a wartime presidency...

Summer Bible study on James to begin in June The eight-week Stonecroft Bible Study at the park for the summer will be "James, the Christian Faith." Studies will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesdays in June and July, beginning June 4 at the Cape County Park South at Shelter No. 21. To reserve a book or a Bible or to ask questions, call Jane Boren at 243-1225, Judy Leist at 243-3975, Dee Maupin at 243-5023 or Ruth Maevers at 243-8506...

FRIEDHEIM, Mo. -- History and tradition are etched in the stone that built Trinity Lutheran Church. The congregation at Trinity celebrates its 160th anniversary Sunday in the 150-year-old church. The first church built in 1848 was a log cabin, according to church records. Beginning in 1843, the first German immigrants who settled in what was then called Dyssen, later named Friedheim, worshipped in a private home and a traveling minister gave sacraments and preached once a month...

The Bible says nothing about ozone depletion, ocean acidification causing possible extinction of certain forms of sea life or melting polar ice caps. You don't expect the Bible to say anything about those things. It's not that kind of a book. Putting the Scriptures, then, into a syllabus for a seminar on global warming is probably not the best idea...

As a parent, one of the things that I enjoy the most is reading to my kids. There are the silly crafted phrases of Dr. Seuss, the outrageous shenanigans of talking animals. With each book there is another adventure, another discovery, another spark of imagination...

Perry Phillips ORAN, Mo. --Perry Phillips, 89, of Oran died Saturday, May 3, 2008, at Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 14, 1918, in Fort Douglas, Ark., son of James W. and Hyla Cooksey Phillips. He and Imogene V. Stacey were married Oct. 21, 1950. She died June 5, 2006...

Thirteen-year-old Alex Bess-Rhodes knew that Cape Girardeau County had been seriously affected by recent floods, but the damage didn't really hit home with him until he had the vantage point of seeing it from several hundred feet above the ground. "I've never been in a small plane. It's not like a commercial plane at all," Bess-Rhodes said...

Jacksonville State put an end to Southeast Missouri State's hopes of qualifying for the Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament. The Gamecocks, who entered the three-game series in Cape Girardeau already having clinched the OVC regular-season title, swept Saturday's doubleheader 7-0 and 6-3...

Miles Smith would have had every reason to shed some tears of sorrow Saturday. But it was obvious that the tears flowing from Smith's eyes were inspired by joy. A little more than an hour earlier, Southeast Missouri State's senior track and field All-American had pulled up lame while running the 200 meters during the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor championships...

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State and Eastern Illinois exchanged a pair of lopsided victories Saturday in an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader. The Redhawks and host Panthers will meet at 1 p.m. today to decide the baseball series. Southeast romped in Saturday's nine-inning opener 16-7. EIU gained a split by rolling 15-3 in the seven-inning nightcap...

It's hard to fear a biker with a teddy bear strapped to the back of a Harley. Bikers often get a reputation for fighting. On April 26, 75 of them, clad in black leather with their motorcycles, gathered at the flagpole at Cape County Park to fight child abuse...

WASHINGTON -- The challenge was to come up with an idea that can transform public education, particularly in poor communities. The winner: an educator with a passion for making school fun. Michael Bitz won a national competition with his idea for helping students learn academic subjects while creating their own record labels...

Gently cupping a chick, preschooler Todd Fightmaster peers into its eyes, leans in to give it a sniff and answers questions from teacher assistant Mary Giles. She wants to know the chick's color, size, habitat. "Do you think it would make a good pet?" she asks. There's a vigorous nod. "But what about your cat?"...

JACKSON — Kelly's top long distance runner Tara Johnson and the Hawks' top short distance runner Londyn Backfisch enjoy cheering on each other at meets. "We always yell at each other when we watch each other race, 'You're my hero,'" Johnson joked. ...

The Saxony girls track team equaled the boys in the Class 1 District 1 meet hosted by Missouri School for the Deaf, as both teams finished third in the standings Saturday. The Saxony girls tallied 63 points to finish behind Ste. Genevieve Valle (135) and New Haven (73)...

Southeast Missouri State track and field coach Joey Haines could not have scripted a better way to end his final Ohio Valley Conference meet. Neither could his athletes, especially those on the 1,600-meter relay team. That's what the men's division came down to at the OVC outdoor championships at Southeast's Abe Stuber Complex...

Southeast Missourian The U.S. Small Business Administration is relocating its disaster outreach center in Jackson, according to Dennis Melton, director of the St. Louis district office. Representatives will still be available for business owners and residents to discuss losses from recent storms and flooding 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday...

To the editor: My congratulations to Ali Herzog for looking for ways to reduce waste in the Central High School cafeteria and better care for our world. Yes, there are areas in our school where we could better use our resources and lessen our waste. We do, however, have some excellent programs that promote "reduce, reuse and recycle."...

BAGHDAD -- The U.S. military fired guided missiles into the heart of Baghdad's teeming Sadr City slum Saturday, leveling a building 55 yards away from a hospital and injuring nearly two dozen people. AP Television News footage showed several ambulances destroyed and on fire, thick black smoke rising from them as firefighters worked to put out the flames...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Springfield nursing home was cited after investigators determined employees had not adequately addressed the needs of a patient who later died. Christian Health Care: Springfield East received the state's most severe noncompliance citation...

CAMDENTON, Mo. -- Hunters and fishermen are a secretive group. It doesn't matter if it's deer, turkey or a favorite crappie hole, the locations of prime spots are well-guarded secrets shared only on a must-know basis. Mushroom hunters are no different, and this season is turning out to be one of the best in a long time...

Sister Bernardine Duenne O'FALLON, Mo. -- Sister Bernardine Duenne, 90, of O'Fallon, died Friday, May 2, 2008. She was born Feb. 15, 1918, in Charleston, Mo., daughter of Henry B. and Catherine A. Bruendermann Duenne. Duenne was an elementary schoolteacher in Charleston, Florissant, Mo., and elsewhere for more than 25 years...

HAGATNA, Guam -- Barack Obama defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton by seven votes in the Guam Democratic presidential caucuses Saturday. The count of more than 4,500 ballots took all night. Neither candidate campaigned in the U.S. island territory in person, but both did long-distance media interviews and bought campaign ads for the caucuses...

This three-bedroom ranch in the Dalhousie subdivision has hardwood flooring and crown molding throughout, an in-ground pool, gas fireplace and sprinkler system. Wrought iron railing, carriage house details on the garage and landscaping add curb appeal. A sidewalk from the driveway leads to the front entrance where glass transoms on each side and above the door combine for an elegant look. A half bath with pedestal sink is near the entrance...

Nina Johnson Nina M. Johnson, 82, of Jackson died Friday, May 2, 2008, at Monticello House in Jackson. She was born March 11, 1926, in Water Valley, Miss., daughter of Edgar and Cora McCullar. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Water Valley...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- It's probably as revolutionary and groundbreaking as Mozart gets these days. A German-based quartet staged Saudi Arabia's first performance of European classical music in a public venue before a mixed gender crowd. The concert, held at a government-run cultural center, broke many taboos in a country where public music is banned and the sexes are segregated even in lines at fast food outlets...

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota lawmakers reached agreement on a $38 million compensation package for victims of a deadly bridge collapse, culminating months of work to provide relief beyond the state's legal liability. The deal will offer everyone who was on the bridge up to $400,000, with an additional $12.6 million pool for the people who suffered the most severe injuries and losses. Thirteen people died in the Aug. 1 collapse, and 145 were hurt...

To the editor: May is NF Awareness Month. Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 3,600 births. It is characterized by tumors that grow randomly throughout the body on nerve endings. The tumors can be disfiguring and can lead to blindness, deafness and many other health problems for sufferers of NF...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI n Anthony L. Brewer, 21, of Jackson was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and failure to drive in a single lane...

ZION, Ill. -- Steve Kreuscher wants a judge to allow him to legally change his name. He wants to be known as "In God We Trust." Kreuscher (CROY'-shir) says the new name would symbolize the help God gave him through tough times. The 57-year-old man also told the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald he's worried atheists may succeed in removing the phrase "In God We Trust" from U.S. currency...

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe's opposition on Saturday held out the possibility its leader would face President Robert Mugabe in a presidential runoff, but called on the nation's neighbors to verify the vote count from the first round. Thokozani Khupe, vice president of the Movement for Democratic Change, said the group still believed a runoff was unnecessary, maintaining opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the first round outright on March 29...

NEW YORK -- He's known as Vinny Gorgeous, but convicted mob boss Vincent Basciano might want to trade up to Vinny Photogenic or Vinny Pulchritudinous. Some of his letters from federal prison, which are being intercepted and scrutinized by authorities, are full of such words as "thespian," "flippant" and "sagacious," his attorney, Ephraim Savitt, said Thursday...

Husband-and-wife journalists Bob Miller and Callie Clark Miller use this space to offer their views on everyday issues. SHE SAID: We've done a lot of dirty jobs, Bob and I. And we're not talking about journalism here. I grew up on a farm. I've strung barbed wire fence. Helped with birthing calves. Heck, my family even raised pigs for a while. I've been hunting since I was 12. Blood and guts do not bother me. Dirt and grime do not bother me...

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Charles Ray Fuller must have been planning one big record company. The 21-year-old North Texas man was arrested last week for trying to cash a $360 billion check, saying he wanted to start a record business, authorities said. Tellers at the Fort Worth bank were immediately suspicious -- perhaps the 10 zeros on a personal check tipped them off, according to investigators...

Consider the children I DO not agree with the way the fundamentalist sect members live, and I think something should be done about it. However, I do not feel that it is fair that the children were removed from their mothers. I also read where a child who was in custody gave birth. ...

Barrel racing n Flickerwood Showdown: The Flickerwood Arena in Jackson will host the Flickerwood Showdown IX Barrel Race today. The Flickerwood Showdown IX Barrel Racing Series is eight barrel races held on four separate weekends throughout the year. Admission: Free. Info: Mark Boardman, 243-3876....

Larry Caldwell A graveside service for Larry Caldwell of Scott City will be held at 2 p.m. today at Oakdale Cemetery in Commerce, Mo. The Rev. Jim Norris will officiate. Caldwell, 74, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City is in charge of arrangements...

BEIJING -- China's Health Ministry ordered heightened efforts to stem the spread of infectious diseases Saturday following an outbreak of a virus that has caused the deaths of 22 children in one city and is spreading. The outbreak of enterovirus 71, a type of hand, foot and mouth disease that children are susceptible to, is another headache for the communist government as it prepares for the Beijing Olympics already tarnished by an uprising among Tibetans and an international torch relay disrupted by protests.. ...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Firefighters worked in cooler, calmer weather Saturday to clear lines around a blaze that has burned nearly 60 homes and more than 20 square miles in the mountains of central New Mexico. Authorities were able to confirm Saturday that 50 homes burned Wednesday in a fire caused by humans in the Manzano Mountains, southeast of Albuquerque, said Linda Peters, a fire information officer. Nine homes had burned earlier...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission voted in a closed session in early April to sell a strip of county park land to Drury Development Corp., a move that has become a source of friction between commissioners over the role of the county's park board...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The trial of a man accused of killing a 3-year-old girl once known only as "Precious Doe" has been delayed so that defense attorneys can question a new state medical expert and perhaps find a witness to rebut his testimony. Harrell Johnson, 28, of Muskogee, Okla., is charged with first-degree murder in the 2001 death of his stepdaughter, Erica Green. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty, and his case had been scheduled to go to trial in June...

Winifred Knife Winifred Grace Knife, 86, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Jefferson City, Mo., died Friday, May 2, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 27, 1922, in Bellfield, N.D., daughter of Joseph Schwartz and Elizabeth Dorthea Asmus...

The three Cape Girardeau County commissioners have had a general understanding of their responsibilities. Until now. At 9:30 a.m. Monday, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones will present a new policy for specific board assignments. The proposed policy would also restrict commissioners' access to other elected officials and county department heads. Jones has said he wants the commission to operate in a more formal fashion...

Long captures medalist honors Vickie Long won the medalist honors at the Kimbeland Ladies Golf Association weekly outing. Barb Johnson won the championship flight, Lillian Schneider won the A flight and Dorothy Holland won the B flight...

DAMASCUS, Ark. -- Smoke rose from burning heaps of wreckage Saturday as residents of rural Arkansas cleaned up what was left of their homes after deadly tornadoes scoured a state that has been plagued by severe weather this year. All that remained of Shelia Massey's home were a chimney, a bathroom wall, and a bathtub that was her storm shelter...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Microsoft Corp. has withdrawn its $42.3 billion bid to buy Yahoo Inc., scrapping an attempt to snap up the tarnished Internet icon in hopes of toppling online search and advertising leader Google Inc. The decision to walk away from the deal came Saturday after last-ditch efforts to negotiate a mutually acceptable sale price proved unsuccessful...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday: n At 9:17 p.m., emergency medical service at 205 S. Plaza Way. n At 9:44 p.m., an odor investigation at Themis Street and Clark Avenue. n At 11:22 p.m., emergency medical service in the 100 block of North Lake Drive...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- When Alferd Williams decided he wanted to go back to school to learn how to read three years ago, he didn't think his simple request would lead to national fame. "Only thing I thought was going to happen was I was going to learn how to read. I never dreamed none of this would happen, but it just blew up," Williams said...

It was only a chair, but it had become his purgatory. Each day that John Pou spent in the wheelchair, his spirit seemed to die a little more. It was a perpetual reminder of the calamity that had brought him and Marci, even the children, to this place...

SANYA, China -- After a much-protested journey, the Olympic torch reached this southern Chinese seaside resort Saturday night, beginning what organizers and Chinese citizens promised would be a trouble-free national tour. The protests and last-minute route changes that haunted the torch along its international relay route were expected to be over. Instead, locals talked excitedly about welcoming the Olympic flame...

25 years ago: May 4, 1983 For the second time in less than five months, the Cape Girardeau County Court has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the flood-stricken areas of Cape Girardeau and the county, including the Neelys Landing area north of Cape Girardeau, and much of the southern part of the county, extending from the Whitewater area to the Mississippi River; a revised prediction has the stream cresting at 46.5 feet on Saturday, nearly a foot above 1973's record crest...

Strand joins staff of Select Physical Therapy Select Physical Therapy, 240 S. Mount Auburn Road, announced the addition of Laura Strand, a licensed physical therapy assistant, to its staff. Strand is a certified pre- and post-natal educator and a 2000 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. She has eight years' experience working primarily in an outpatient setting...

Formerly WalkAmerica, the March of Dimes March for Babies a fundraiser for supporting research and programs that help prevent or treat premature birth, birth defects and other threats to babies' health. Registration for this year's March for Babies is at 5 p.m. Thursday at Kiwanis Park, with the march at 6...

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program and the Volunteer Intergenerational Center held their 2008 annual recognition event Wednesday during National Volunteer Week. At the event, several volunteers from area not-for-profit agencies were honored. RSVP and VIC, both services of the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, recruit volunteers to help expand services in more than 120 not-for-profit agencies. ...

The Rotary Foundation's Group Study Exchange program is a cultural and vocational exchange program for professionals 25 to 40 years of age in the early stages of their careers. From April 29 to Friday, Cape West Rotary members were visited by west German GSE team District 1850. ...

When the River Heritage Museum opens its doors for the season, it will be for longer because of sponsorship by the Convention and Visitors Bureau that began Thursday and ends Sept. 14. Three other downtown attractions -- the Red House Interpretive Center, Old St. Vincent's Church and the Glenn House -- will also benefit from the sponsorship...

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- After exchanging a pair of lopsided victories Saturday, Southeast Missouri State and Eastern Illinois waged a down-to-the-wire thriller. Unfortunately for the Redhawks, they came up on the short end of Sunday's Ohio Valley Conference baseball series finale...

Southeast Missouri State softball coach Lana Richmond lauded her team for a spirited comeback. But Sunday's effort could not prevent an 8-4, eight-inning loss to visiting Jacksonville State in the final game of another disappointing season. The Redhawks failed to make the six-team Ohio Valley Conference tournament for the second straight year. They finished eighth out of 10 squads...

Scott County Central's D.D. Gillespie and Oran's Haley Glastetter were event winners and sectional qualifiers in multiple events during Saturday's Class 1 District 1 track meet hosted by the Missouri School for the Deaf. Saxony Lutheran finished third in both the boys and girls teams standings. The Crusaders had nine boys entries advance, including four first-place finishes, while the girls had eight qualifiers, including one first...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Olene Ellis Heflin, 91, of Perryville died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. She was born Jan. 1, 1917, in Perry County, daughter of William Harry and Lottie Kline Ellis. She and Robert R. Heflin were married Aug. 16, 1952. He died June 22, 1986...

In May of 1958, Dennis Underwood needed a job. At 19, he had a wife and had recently returned to Cape Girardeau from St. Louis, where he had worked at Clayton Motors selling Plymouths and DeSotos. He sought work at the Cadillac and Oldsmobile dealer. Sorry, no jobs, he was told...

The Small Business Development Center of Southeast Missouri State University will offer counseling sessions for small businesses and individuals planning business ventures next week in Perryville, Mo., Cape Girardeau and Sikeston, Mo. The counseling sessions with counselor Gil Degenhardt, each about one hour, are available by appointment. ...

Civil War diary available at county archive center The Civil War diary of the Rev. Joseph C. Maple, who was in charge of the Jackson Academy and wrote about his observations of the war in and around Jackson from June 1861 to July 1862, has been published and is available at the Cape Girardeau County Archive Center, 112 E. Washington St. in Jackson. Several longtime Jackson families are mentioned in the account. For more information, call 204-2331...

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Six federally protected sea lions were apparently shot to death on the Columbia River as they lay in open traps put out to ensnare the animals, which eat endangered salmon. State and federal authorities are investigating. The discovery came one day after three elephant seals were found shot to death at a breeding ground in central California...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A group seeking to bar many state affirmative action programs has missed a Sunday deadline to submit its initiative petition. Missouri had been one of five states California businessman Ward Connerly and his supporters had targeted for an effort to strike down affirmative action laws...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Alarms are sounding in the Missouri Capitol over a sudden downward spiral in state tax revenue. And those concerns already have scuttled millions of dollars of sought-after spending in next year's budget. Missouri has just two months remaining in its 2008 budget year. As of April 25, things looked pretty good -- net general revenue was up 5.7 percent over the same point a year ago...

The city of Jackson is beginning its second phase of a plan to lure business. According to Mayor Barbara Lohr, the Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) Commission is being reactivated. "The whole purpose of a TIF is to allow the developer to be able to do all their infrastructure up front," she said. "Then they're allowed a tax abatement to pay it off. It's an incentive."...

By Paul Schock It was last Tuesday night when I heard the horns from the fire trucks driving by and then the sound of a truck in my back yard. I went out and saw what was once the pride and joy of a community coming together going up in flames. Scott City lost the Old Head School, and my emotions almost got the best of me as I thought right away of Carolyn Pendergrass, the president of the Scott City Historical Society...

Day 1 at Project Walk fell on their 13th wedding anniversary. In years past, John and Marci Pou might have gone to dinner. Instead, thousands of miles from home, Marci watched as John fought to maneuver his broken body. It was June 26, 2006, the start of a regimen that would push John to the limit physically and challenge both of them emotionally and even spiritually...

JERUSALEM -- Facing mounting Palestinian frustration at the pace of peace talks, the United States leaned on Israel on Sunday to lift restrictions that chafe West Bank residents and stifle an already limping economy. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did not directly criticize close U.S. ...

BOSTON -- Kevin Garnett took a behind-the-back pass from Paul Pierce, slammed in the dunk to make the lead three dozen points and then slashed his hand across his throat to signal what the Atlanta Hawks already knew. "It's over," he told the crowd...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Locksmith Brent Fasse squints at the map, double-checking the address of a house off the Paseo. "This is it," he said, as he parks his Chevy Astro van, filled with thousands of keys packed into plastic storage boxes. For all the misery of the mortgage crisis, with its foreclosures and evictions and interrupted lives, it's a good time to be a locksmith. Almost all the locks Fasse changes these days are on foreclosed homes...

Attention political candidates — John Mehner, president and chief executive officer of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, knows how to put a positive spin on what could otherwise be viewed as seriously bad news. After the national employment report was issued Friday that showed employment nationally had fallen by 20,000 jobs in April while the unemployment rate had also fallen to 5 percent, I checked on the local unemployment figures. ...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI n Gerald Taylor, 61, 318 Middle St., was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, failure to maintain single lane, expired license plate and no insurance...

ST. LOUIS — Two days after Jason Isringhausen left to merciless boos from the home crowd, he walked off the mound in triumph. Shaking off recent woes that left him wondering for a time whether to ditch his favored cut fastball, the St. Louis Cardinals' closer needed only 12 pitches to retire the top of the Chicago Cubs' order, putting the finishing touch on a 5-3 victory on Sunday night...

ST. LOUIS -- Anthony Reyes was demoted to the minor leagues by the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday after sputtering in a relief role with a 5.27 ERA. The 26-year-old Reyes, once considered the team's top pitching prospect, will be a starter for Class AAA Memphis. But manager Tony La Russa believes the infrequency of Reyes' outings has more to do with his struggles than comfort level or a lack of enthusiasm for the bullpen life...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Anthony Kim became the youngest PGA Tour winner in six years, cruising to a five-shot win over Ben Curtis on Sunday in the Wachovia Championship. With Tiger Woods recovering from knee surgery and unable to defend his title at Quail Hollow Club, the 22-year-old Kim turned in a masterful performance...

SAN DIEGO -- A suspected pipe bomb exploded at a federal courthouse in downtown San Diego early Sunday, damaging the front entrance and blowing out a window, authorities said. No injuries were reported. Few people were around the building, which is a block from nightclubs in the Gaslamp Quarter, when the powerful blast also damaged the lobby area of the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse about 1:40 a.m., said FBI spokeswoman April Langwell...

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- A police officer from Independence suffered a broken leg after being struck by a police car during a pursuit. The Kansas City Star reports that officers were pursuing a suspicious vehicle Sunday morning after being called to investigate a reported drive-by shooting. Police say the suspect led them on a car chase after tossing items out of the vehicle...

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis police searched for a suspect who kicked out the windshield of his truck and fled the scene of a crash that claimed two lives. The suspect, behind the wheel of a pickup truck, attempted to pass two men in another truck who were trying to pull over to a diner early Sunday...

PITTSBURGH -- Marian Hossa scored his second goal of the game 7:10 into overtime and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied after giving up a two-goal lead to beat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Sunday and advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in seven years...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Barack Obama likened Hillary Rodham Clinton to President Bush for threatening to "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacks Israel and called her gas-tax holiday a gimmick as he tried to fend off her challenge ahead of two pivotal Democratic primaries...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Yahoo Inc. chief executive Jerry Yang has gotten what he wanted: a chance to prove his company is worth more than the $47.5 billion that Microsoft Corp. offered to buy the Internet pioneer. It will be a daunting challenge. Investors are expected to show how little they think of Yahoo without a takeover bid on the table today. Faced with resistance from Yang and the rest of Yahoo's board, Microsoft withdrew its offer over the weekend...

Chinese officials and envoys of the Dalai Lama have agreed to a second round of talks, China's state-run news agency said in an apparent sign of progress in easing tensions raised by violent anti-government riots in Tibet. Xinhua also said, however, that the Chinese officials told the Dalai Lama's envoys at their first meeting Sunday that the protests had spawned new obstacles to communication...

GREENSBURG, Kan. -- President Bush hailed the resilience of this town and its tiny high school graduating class Sunday, one year after a tornado barreled through with astonishing fury. Never before had Bush delivered a commencement address at a high school, and his presence was meant to reflect how far Greensburg has come. From nearly total devastation last May 4, this town is recovering, and hope has been rekindled...

KIRKWOOD, Mo. -- The gunman accused of shooting seven people at Kirkwood City Hall in February was in deep financial trouble, though even those closest to him were not aware of the full extent. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday that while it's well known that Charles "Cookie" Thornton lost his attempt to sue the city for millions, and faced more than $20,000 in fines from the suburban St. Louis community for code violations, his financial issues were much more involved...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Country music singer Gretchen Wilson has a mantel full of awards in her home. Her first radio single, "Redneck Woman," spent five weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and earned a 2005 Grammy. Her debut album sold 4.5 million copies...

YANGON, Myanmar -- A powerful cyclone killed more than 350 people and destroyed thousands of homes, state-run media reported Sunday. Some dissident groups worried that the military junta running Myanmar would be reluctant to ask for international help...

RICHMOND, Va. -- For the first time in two years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the checkered flag within reach. His agonizing 71-race winless streak was just three laps from ending. All Junior had to do was hold off red-hot Kyle Busch in a stirring showdown between NASCAR's most popular driver and the kid who got dumped from Hendrick Motorsports for Earnhardt and has rebounded with a sizzling start to the season...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis firefighters said Sunday they have responded to 10 suspicious fires in recent days, and investigating whether an arsonist is at work in the city, according to KSDK-TV. Officials said all the fires were set outside of vacant buildings within five blocks of north St. Louis. Five of the suspect fires blazed Saturday night...

Janice "Janie" Marie Meyer, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel.

25 years ago: May 5, 1983 The soggy pendulum of Mississippi River flood crest predictions has swung again; the revised prediction calls for a crest of 45.3 feet tomorrow afternoon at Cape Girardeau, slightly less than what had been predicted yesterday...

AMSTETTEN, Austria -- The sister-in-law of an Austrian man accused of imprisoning his daughter for 24 years in a dingy dungeon and fathering seven children with her said he treated his family like a "tyrant." A woman who identified herself as Josef Fritzl's sister-in-law provided new details of the oppression inside the Fritzl home. ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- A pregnant bank teller who lost the twins she was carrying after being shot during a holdup choked back tears Saturday as she recalled lying on the bank's floor, bleeding and pleading for help, as the gunman demanded money from her co-workers...

I had an extensive conversation with Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Scott Edgar on Friday during the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor track and field meet in Cape Girardeau. We talked about a variety of topics regarding the basketball program, including the way Edgar plans on shuffling his coaching staff a bit...

To the editor: I am writing to commend the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. On Friday I attended the monthly First Friday Coffee event at the Show Me Center. The special guest speaker was Ronald M. Shapiro, author of "Dare to Prepare." The event was well-organized and well-attended, and Mr. Shapiro was a captivating speaker...

The church brought the stuff. The VFW brought the snacks. And together the two entities that share a parking lot also shared in helping fix up their buildings. Father's Arms Fellowship, a nondenominational church, and the Scott City VFW are teaming up to help repair damage done by last month's 14-inch rainstorm...

The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department and Jackson Parks and Recreation participated in "Bashin' Trash" on two recent weekends at Cape La Croix Creek in Cape Girardeau and Hubble Creek in Jackson City Park...

SOUTH CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. -- Bill Bramanti will love Pabst Blue Ribbon eternally, and he's got the custom-made beer-can casket to prove it. "I actually fit, because I got in here," said Bramanti of South Chicago Heights. The 67-year-old Glenwood village administrator doesn't plan on needing it anytime soon, though...

Cape Girardeau Firefighers responded to the following calls Saturday: n At 5:05 p.m., emergency medical service in the 300 block of North Sprigg Street. n At 5:19 p.m., a carbon monoxide problem in the 600 block of Maple Street. n At 6:07 p.m., an alarm sounding in the 2400 block of North Kingshighway...

Bottled water A LOT of the people who are complaining about food prices buy bottled water. My wife buys bottled water, and I tell her it's a waste of money. There's no sense in buying water. Blocked intersection THIS IS a message to the drivers on U.S. ...

Celeste Myers and her 6-year-old daughter Nadia didn't usually walk their dog Sadie in Capaha Park on Tuesday afternoons, but March 11 was the first nice day after the ice storms that devastated the area. Scott Johnson had already crossed the park that afternoon en route to his monthly B-12 injection at Southeast Missouri Hospital. ...

Education about the value of home grown foods can never start too soon. With this in mind, the Southeast Missouri Climate Protection Initiative, working with the Universalist Unitarian Fellowship of Cape Girardeau, is developing a garden that students at the Cape Area Family Resource Center (1202 S. Sprigg ) will cultivate to provide their families with home grown vegetables later this summer...

When Jane Kurre attended fifth grade at Franklin Elementary in Cape Girardeau, there were no walls dividing classes. "They knocked down all the walls. It was the beginning of team teaching," she said. "You could see everyone." Now, about 35 years later, she chuckled while touring Franklin, on display for the school's 80th anniversary. "They're all boarded back up," she said...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- For the second time in recent weeks, some St. Louis area residents awoke on Monday to a disconcerting rumbling. But this time, the earthquake was right beneath their feet. The quake at 6:25 a.m. had its epicenter in southwest St. Louis County -- just the sixth documented earthquake over the last two centuries centered in St. ...

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) -- Prosecutors are considering charges against the driver of a wrecker that was parked without lights on a southwest Missouri road when a car hit it, killing a teenager. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the Saturday night crash just north of Joplin killed 18-year-old Jodie Wharf of Republic. Wharf had been riding with her Republic High School friend Tesslah Lee at 8:30 p.m. on a two-lane county road which is unlit...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas City police say one man is dead and his girlfriend is custody after a shooting outside the woman's apartment. Captain Rich Lockhart said the couple had been arguing at about 5 p.m. Sunday when the man was shot. The woman's three children, aged 9, 6 and 2, were in a car parked nearby...

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Marion Ravenwood might have been speaking for us all when she set eyes on Indiana Jones for the first time in years. Her caustic greeting to the archaeologist-adventurer in 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark": "Indiana Jones. I always knew someday you'd come walking back through my door."...

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) -- A Southern Illinois University student killed last week when a tractor-tractor slammed into his stopped car in a construction zone will get his degree posthumously. The Carbondale school says Nick Rendleman will accept the award on behalf of his late brother, Ryan Rendleman, during commencement ceremonies Saturday...

Highway 34 in Cape Girardeau County will be reduced to one lane Tuesday from Route OO to the Bollinger County line while MoDOT crews remove brush along the westbound lane.Weather permitting the work will take place from 8:30 a.m. ...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A St. Louis man is dead and three others injured after a shooting at a car wash. The victim is 27-year-old Earnest Lenoir Jr. He and two other men were washing their cars Sunday afternoon when shots were fired from the rear of the business. The fourth victim is an employee of the car wash...

ST. LOUIS -- Republican candidates Sarah Steelman and Kenny Hulshof campaign for governor in separate stops in St. Louis as they compete for their party's nomination. Steelman appeared Monday morning at the Ballpark Village development site to lay out her plan for repealing the city's earnings tax. She is the state treasurer...

PACIFIC, Mo. (AP) -- A community meeting is planned for Tuesday in Pacific as residents in flood-prone areas of town continue to decide whether to seek property buyouts from the federal government. March flooding along the Meramec River left more than 200 homes and businesses damaged in the eastern Missouri community...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — The Perry County Sheriff's Office arrested 20 people over the last week for drug charges, the conclusion of an undercover investigation that began in 2007, according to a news release sent out today by the sheriff's office...

WASHINGTON — Everyone's genes spell out a risk for some disease, and a coming anti-discrimination law is about to give genetic testing a boost. But discrimination is just one hurdle. The bigger quandary: Doctors don't yet know how many of the genetic tests being pushed for dozens of conditions are truly useful — and how many are misleading at best...

Notre Dame goalie Shelley Frank hasn't been involved in too many shootouts during her soccer career. The senior estimated that before partaking in one Monday against crosstown rival Central, she hadn't been in the situation since the sixth grade. It was hard to tell Monday as Frank made a strong save to her right during the shootout session. She also recorded 10 saves overall against the Tigers to help the Bulldogs to a 2-1 road victory...

Leon Morton, 76, of Jackson passed away Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born in Leemon, Mo., son of Ed and Hester Medlock Morton. He and Mary Margaret Ward were married Nov. 20, 1949. She survives. Leon attended school in Jackson. ...

Edmund Raymond Wroblewski, 85, of Scott City died Monday, May 5, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 20, 1922, in Milwaukee, son of Edward and Helen Kuick Wroblewski. He and Ruth Estella Lambert were married May 29, 1969, in St. Louis...

Janice M. "Janie" Meyer, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 17, 1946, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Thomas L. and Helen M. Giroir Meyer. Meyer was a graduate of Notre Dame High School and attended Southeast Missouri State University. She was owner and director of Cape Montessori School since 1972. She was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral and its Parish Council and Council of Catholic Women...

William Carl Skaggs, 85, of Jackson died Saturday, May 3, 2008, at Capetown Assisted Living in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 26, 1923, at Patton, Mo., son of Harry Everett and Ella Mae Cook Skaggs. He and Sadie Grace Melton were married Nov. 10, 1947...

POPLAR BLUFF — The Jackson girls 1,600-meter relay team wasn't able to run down Central in the final event of the day at the SEMO North Conference meet But that would've been icing on the cake, as the Indians rolled to a second straight girls team championship Monday, scoring 98 points to runner-up Central's 79...

Michael Minner had a triumphant return to his alma mater as the Charleston baseball coach picked up a huge win for his program. Charleston stunned host Cape Girardeau Central 5-4 on Monday, rallying with two runs in the seventh inning. The Bluejays improved to 14-8 under Minner, a 1998 Central graduate who is in his second season as Charleston's head coach...

Calendar Today n Preparation for childbirth class: 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Saint Francis Medical Center. Guide to expected bodily changes, labor signs and stages, pain control techniques and basic infant care. Tips on relaxing, positioning and breathing will also be discussed. Refreshments will be provided. Remember to bring the "Pregnancy, Childbirth and Parenting Kit" provided by your physician's office. Call 877-231-2229 to register...

CHICAGO — Insulin pumps are used by tens of thousands of teenagers worldwide with Type 1 diabetes, but they can be risky and have been linked to injuries and even deaths, a review by federal regulators finds. Parents should be vigilant in watching their children's use of the pumps, researchers from the Food and Drug Administration wrote. ...

Mark Verticchio recently stepped down as the Oak Ridge boys basketball coach to become the girls coach at Delta. Although Verticchio has submitted a letter of resignation, it has not been accepted yet by the Oak Ridge board, which next meets Monday...

JACKSON -- Caleb Hosey found himself in an 0-2 hole after seeing a pair of nasty curveballs from Perryville's Jon Hecht. Jackson had the bases loaded with two outs in the fifth, the score tied and Hosey, a junior, at the plate. Hosey battled back to a full count then fouled off a pair of pitches...

25 years ago: May 6, 1983 With the Mississippi River expected to crest at Cape Girardeau later today at 45.3 feet, the situation has stabilized in the flood ravaged areas of the county; but rain, possibly heavy, is forecast for tomorrow and could make things worse...

As the Missouri Legislature quickly approaches adjournment for another session, one critical piece of legislation dedicated to improving both the business climate and judicial climate continues to be held hostage. House Bill 2241, introduced by state Rep. Bryan Stevenson in the House Judicial Committee, would seek to curb frivolous lawsuits that threaten to run small businesses out of Missouri and cost taxpayers millions while knotting up the court system...

Americans may be getting another helping of food inflation, and it seems likely to come from higher prices for chicken and pork. Overall food inflation could double this year, lifted by the rising costs of fuel, corn and soybeans, some analysts predict...

Cook Daughter to Casey Lee and Sarah Marie Cook of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 3:07 a.m. Monday, April 28, 2008. Name, Adeline Marie. Weight, 6 pounds, 15 ounces. First child. Mrs. Cook is the former Sarah Meyers, daughter of Sheila and Richard Aufdenberg of Jackson, and Scott Meyers of Grandview, Mo. She is a teacher with Sikeston School District. Cook is the son of Mark and Lana Cook of Cape Girardeau. He is a process engineer at Spartech Plastics...

WASHINGTON — Talk about hush-hush wedding planning. First daughter Jenna Bush was the last in the family to know she was getting married. Months ago, her fiance, Henry Hager, told Jenna's twin sister that he wanted to propose. Then at the Camp David presidential retreat, Hager asked President Bush and first lady Laura Bush for their daughter's hand in marriage...

BENTON, Mo. -- A special election for mayoral races in Miner and Oran and for the third school board member position for the Scott County Central School District will be held today. Polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The three races resulted in ties during last month's municipal election...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perry County deputies concluded a months-long drug investigation with the arrest of 20 people on charges ranging from selling small amounts of marijuana to the sale of cocaine and methamphetamines, the Perry County Sheriff's Department announced Monday...

LYON, France -- Interpol launched a worldwide appeal to the public today to help identify a man suspected of sexually abusing young boys from Southeast Asia -- hoping the rare move will lead to a quick arrest. It was only the second time that the international police agency has appealed directly to the public for help in identifying a suspected pedophile. An arrest was made shortly after the first time last October...

LOS ANGELES -- This weekend was just the beginning of Hollywood's Iron Age. Marvel Studios announced Monday it will release "Iron Man 2" on April 30, 2010, following the success of the first movie in the comic-book franchise, which pulled in $104.2 million domestically since opening Thursday and $201 million worldwide...

Highway 34 in Cape Girardeau County will be reduced to one lane today from Route OO to the Bollinger County line while MoDOT crews remove brush along the westbound lane. Weather permitting, the work will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. U.S. 60 in Scott and New Madrid counties will remain reduced to one lane westbound between Interstate 55 and U.S. 61, reopening to full capacity at 5 p.m. May 13. For more information, call 888-275 6636...

To the editor: I have never been afraid to ruffle a few feathers or rub the fur the wrong way when I saw inequities that needed to be addressed by our elected county officials and for years referred to the Southeast Missourian as Rust's Republican Rag for refusing to expose any of the goings-on that fellow Republican cronies were pulling in the county...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Yahoo Inc.'s stock took a beating Monday after Microsoft Corp. withdrew its $47.5 billion takeover bid, but the punishment wasn't as severe as many analysts anticipated because investors suspect the rivals eventually will renew their mating dance...

NEW YORK -- Oil futures surged to a record of more than $120 a barrel Monday, raising concerns about higher prices for gasoline and goods and services throughout the economy. Supply threats that emerged overseas and a weaker dollar sent light, sweet crude for June delivery to a new trading record of $120.36 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange before futures retreated slightly to settle up $3.65 at a record $119.97...

ADVANCE, Mo. — Joanne E. "Jody" Fugate, 70, of Advance died Monday, May 5, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 1, 1937, in Harrisburg, Pa., daughter of James E. and Ruth E. Seiwell. She worked as a clerk at Wal-Mart in Jackson...

The case of the Web site book promotion is now closed. The Cape Girardeau County Commission on Monday voted 2-1 to restore to public view the World Wide Web page at Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle's Web site where he displays the covers of his three commercial books. The page also includes lists of and links to many of Swingle's scholarly and legal articles...

YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar's official media said early today that 10,000 people were killed by a powerful cyclone in just one town, confirming fears of a spiraling death toll from the storm's 12-foot tidal surges and high winds that swept away bamboo homes in low-lying coastal regions...

By PAT GRAHAM The Associated Press DENVER -- A hustling Albert Pujols scored from second base on a groundout in the ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. After a one-out double to right, Pujols took off on contact as Rick Ankiel grounded out to second baseman Jonathan Herrera, who never glanced at Pujols before lofting a throw to Todd Helton at first...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Dustin A. Heck, 23, of Perryville, Mo., was arrested on Cape Girardeau warrants for four counts of contempt of court for failure to pay fine and costs for failure to appear for no insurance and improper registration...

To the editor: I would like to bring attention to the mishap at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port that took place Friday. It was 8 o'clock, and the police department was evacuating us from our home. The officer said the port authority has an issue with ammonia nitrate and we needed to leave our home, that all residents within a mile-and-a-half radius were to evacuate. It was horrifying to learn from the noonday news that if this had exploded it would have leveled a mile-and-a-half radius...

PHILADELPHIA -- A defense contractor accused of overcharging the U.S. government for radar components pleaded guilty Monday to obstruction and will pay $9.5 million in fines, federal authorities said. Herley Industries Inc. admitted to two counts of obstructing audits of bids to supply components for Navy and Air Force radar systems. ...

Central orchestra to perform today at 7 p.m. The orchestra at Central High School in Cape Girardeau will perform at 7 p.m. today at the school. The orchestra will receive a $10,000 check from Goody's Family Clothing Store through the store's Good Deeds for Schools grant program. Money will be used to buy musical instruments...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission has been trying to deal with a thorny issue: the alleged abuse of a county computer-use policy involving an elected county official. According to various sources, including Auditor David Ludwig's attorney, the commission asked Ludwig to resign last month after the official downloaded what has been described as "inappropriate" photographs from an Internet site and left them in a printer in the auditor's office. ...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans have asked environmental regulators to use their power to halt the country's plans to expand ethanol production amid rising food prices. Twenty-four Republican senators, including presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain of Arizona, sent a letter Friday to the Environmental Protection Agency suggesting it waive, or restructure, rules that require a fivefold increase in ethanol production over the next 15 years...

BOSTON -- A Massachusetts study suggests that restaurant smoking bans may play a big role in persuading teens not to become smokers. Youths who lived in towns with strict bans were 40 percent less likely to become regular smokers than those in communities with no bans or weak ones, the researchers reported in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine...

Elmara King, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 5, 2008, at her home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

The trip home was, in every way, bittersweet. The children were thrilled, back with friends and the house they had missed. They could swim in the privacy of their home in the woods of North Carolina instead of an apartment pool in California. John and Marci Pou had hoped, of course, to be returning under different circumstances. But as they had approached their one-year anniversary at Project Walk, they knew something had to give...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: n At 6:31 p.m., emergency medical service in the 300 block of North Sprigg Street. n At 8:41 p.m., a smoke scare at Minnesota Avenue and Independence Street. Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The federal government and a private laboratory have no duty under state law to protect the public from lethal materials, their lawyers told the Florida Supreme Court on Monday in a lawsuit over the anthrax death of a supermarket tabloid photo editor...

The bishop of a Catholic Diocese in India visited Southeast Missouri State University on Monday to promote a student and professor exchange. Bishop Mathew Arackal discussed the possibility of collaboration between Southeast and Marian College Kuttikkanam, a liberal arts school in Kerala, India, near the southern tip of the country. ...

To the editor: Forty-seven million Americans -- including more than 700,000 Missourians -- have no health insurance. While the problem of the uninsured is large in scale, progress toward reducing Missouri's uninsured is possible. Last week the Missouri Senate approved Senate Bill 1283 to expand access to health insurance to as many as 200,000 of the state's uninsured. ...

Ida M. Lindsey, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Heartland Care and Rehab. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Fairmont Cemetery. McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau is in charge of arrangements.

GENEVA -- U.N. agencies and independent humanitarian groups rushed Monday to prepare assistance for victims of a devastating cyclone in Myanmar, while awaiting a formal go-ahead from the military regime in the Southeast Asian nation. As the death toll climbed, Myanmar's isolationist government indicated a willingness to accept outside help. But details on how aid would be delivered were still to be worked out, said Elisabeth Byrs of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs...

LOS ANGELES -- An Iraqi man sued two U.S. military contractors Monday, claiming he was repeatedly tortured while being held at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison for more than 10 months. Emad al-Janabi's federal lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, claims that employees of CACI International Inc. and L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. punched him, slammed him into walls, hung him from a bed frame and kept him naked and handcuffed in his cell beginning in September 2003...

ST. LOUIS -- For the second time in recent weeks, some St. Louis-area residents awoke on Monday to a disconcerting rumbling. But this time, the earthquake was right beneath their feet. The quake at 6:25 a.m. had its epicenter in southwest St. Louis County -- just the sixth documented earthquake over the last two centuries centered in St. Louis city or St. Louis County. The U.S. Geological Survey pegged it as a magnitude 2.7. Seismologists at St. Louis University believe it was a 2.8 or a 2.9...

DURHAM, N.C. -- Voter excitement, always up before a presidential election, is pushing registration through the roof so far this year -- with more than 3.4 million people rushing to join in the historic balloting, according to an Associated Press survey that offers the first national snapshot...

Condescending column CAL THOMAS says if you're reading this newspaper, chances are you are not poor. Do you know any poor people? I'm poor, but guess what? I can read, and so can most poor people. Please don't condescend to us. Paying off debts I CAN'T find it within myself to feel sorry for people having problems paying the bills or paying their credit-card balances. ...

In back-to-back votes Monday, the Cape Girardeau County Commission imposed new restrictions on the way commissioners do business. The board stripped Associate Commissioner Jay Purcell of most departments he'd been supervising. A second vote required commissioners to submit written requests for information from other elected officials or county department heads. ...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Charges have been filed against Cleveland Pulliam, 68, of Kennett, for the murder of Jacqueline Kaye Farmer, 47, of Kennett, Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen P. Sokoloff announced Friday. Pulliam is being charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action...

Mike Dumey is trying to organize 40-plus jitterbugs on stage. With sequins flashing and capes flying, the bugs assemble. "Hurry, hurry," Dumey coaxes. The music, now rewound, begins again. "Keep away from the jitterbug. Look out!" Dorothy, the tin man, and the lion murmur. The bugs gather, jumping, fingers snapping and legs kicking...

In back-to-back votes Monday, the Cape Girardeau County Commission imposed new restrictions on the way commissioners do business. The board stripped Associate Commissioner Jay Purcell of most departments he'd been supervising. A second vote required commissioners to submit written requests for information from other elected officials or county department heads. ...

A controversial county road easement notarized seven years after it was signed is not valid, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said Monday after consulting a real estate lawyer. Landowner Lawrence McBryde had objected when he learned that an easement for right-of-way on County Road 436 near his 400-acre farm had been notarized and recorded after languishing for seven years in the County Highway Department office. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- Nestled between Route H and Interstate 55 in Scott County sits the state's only commercial acres of canola -- a plant used to make cooking oil and biodiesel. Seventy acres and four varieties of the crop were planted in late September but were only recently noticed -- mostly by motorists commuting across I-55 -- after the plant's bright yellow flowers bloomed...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Most people don't like snakes, regardless of their role in nature. For eons, tales have been spun that have given people a general disdain for and a bad impression of snakes. Fear and misunderstanding are prevalent, leading some people to kill any snake they see, by any and every means...

Cape Girardeau County will not provide any material requested in two Sunshine Law requests from the Southeast Missourian because much of the material relates to possible lawsuits, Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said Monday. As part of the denial, Swingle declined also to release the names, rates of pay or reasons for hiring outside counsel for any litigation or providing legal advice. ...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The FBI believes the so-called "Boonie Hat Bandit" is at it again. The man believed to be in his mid-40s is suspected in nine St. Louis area bank robberies since November, including two that happened on Monday. The latest robberies occurred at a Commerce Bank in Chesterfield and, just over two hours later, at a Bank of America in St. Peters...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Gov. Matt Blunt's administration is forging ahead with a plan to archive state e-mails -- even though lawmakers have not approved money to run it. Blunt relied on existing money in January while ordering the installation of a permanent e-mail retention system. But the budget being considered Tuesday by lawmakers does not include the $500,000 Blunt requested to operate the e-mail archive starting in July...

A site that Mark Twain once called "a heavenly place for a boy" in northeast Missouri will be the focus of a privately run archaeological dig this summer. Karen A. Hunt, 67, owns property outside of Florida, Mo., which used to be the farm of Samuel Clemens' uncle, John A. Quarles. Long before Clemens became the famed writer Mark Twain, he spent part of his boyhood summers on the farm, and drew from those experiences in his writing...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Consumers in parts of rural Missouri could see their telephone rates go up as a result of legislation that essentially would end state price regulation of local phone service. Supporters of the bill passed Monday hope it will entice phone companies to spend the money necessary to expand high-speed Internet access in rural areas...

Route B in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane Wednesday while crews remove brush along the roadway.Work will take place from Route UU to Highway 34 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, weather permitting. For more information call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT. ...

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Rescue crews search the Missouri River after a boat capsizes near Chesterfield. A person ran into a service station around 5:15 a.m. Tuesday to say he saw a capsized boat near Howell Island, not far from the Daniel Boone Bridge that carries traffic between St. Charles and St. Louis counties...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A newborn baby is in satisfactory condition, a day after being found in a St. Louis trash bin. The baby boy was discovered about 9 p.m. Monday by a man preparing to dispose of yard waste after cutting his grass. The child was taken to St. Louis Children's Hospital...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Steelman proposed a $171 million tax break Tuesday that she said would affect most Missouri taxpayers. Steelman would cut taxes by increasing the personal and dependent child tax deductions...

CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) -- Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for two men charged in the rape and murder of a 9-year-old southwest Missouri girl. Barry County prosecutor Johnnie Cox filed notice with the court Monday that he plans to seek the death penalty for David Spears and Chris Collings. Spears was Rowan Ford's stepfather, and Collings was his friend...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Will "Sex and the City" have a "Death in the City?" It's been a persistent rumor in cyberspace as the buzz kicks into overdrive for the film opening later this month. If you want the rumor to remain in play, stop reading now. But director Michael Patrick King is ready to free us from some of our worst fears. Namely, that Mr. Big, Carrie Bradshaw's longtime, on-and-off love played by Chris Noth, will somehow kick the bucket...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A House Republican will try to reverse a Department of Revenue decision to increase the fees charged to access driver's license records. Starting this month, the department started charging $7 per driver's license and motor vehicle record. It had charged $1.25, and even less for bulk requests...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- A southwest Missouri man faces up to 10 years in federal prison for leaving a string of threatening messages at FBI offices in Springfield and Kansas City. Records show that Melvin Henre of Marshfield pleaded guilty last week to felony threat charges stemming from calls made between Jan. 16 and March 19. A federal indictment accuses Henre of threatening to assault and kill supervising agent Dean Bryant at the FBI's Springfield office...

ST. LOUIS -- Monsanto Co. is on track to double its gross profit by 2012, the agribusiness' chief financial officer said Tuesday. Terry Crews will speak to investors today as part of a presentation at a conference in New York. The St. Louis-based maker of Roundup herbicides and biotech products said Crews will discuss Monsanto's strong operating cash position...

NEW YORK -- Wall Street reversed early losses to close higher Tuesday, as investors monitored the movements of record high oil prices but still laid bets that the economy and companies are in recovery mode. Crude oil climbed to a record near $123 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange as traders, who have nearly doubled the price of oil over the past year, reacted to the weakening U.S. ...

April showers have brought May flowers to my neck of the woods. And what do May flowers bring? The need for lovely planters that will do them justice. It's a dilemma I face every year. Clay pots and urns from the big-box store simply won't do. We need something more punchy, something more individual. Something less expensive...

Through 13 holes Tuesday in the SEMO Conference golf tournament at Dalhousie Golf Club, Notre Dame senior John Oliver was having the round of his life. "I had the best mental focus I've had," Oliver said. "I hit everything within 10 feet, I hit 11 greens in regulation, and everything was going for me those first 13 holes. Nothing went wrong at all; everything I did was perfect."...

Jayden Pobst pitched a one-hitter and Caleb Seyer had a triumphant return from an injury as the Oran baseball team snapped a two-game losing streak Tuesday with a 13-1 five-inning home romp over Bell City. Pobst struck out 13 and walked two. The only run he allowed was unearned...

Notre Dame golf coach Jerry Grim said senior Emily Matthews has taken a fair share of good-natured ribbing as the lone girl on the boys team. But Matthews played a big role in Notre Dame's team finish at the SEMO Conference tournament on Tuesday, one day after she selected Missouri State for her college choice...

The way Jayson Santos sees things, there was good news and bad news regarding Southeast Missouri State's Academic Progress Report, released by the NCAA on Tuesday. Santos, Southeast's assistant athletic director for compliance, believes the good far outweigh the bad...

Shawn Kinder, who recently resigned as Delta boys basektball coach, has accepted the Leopold boys basketball coaching position. "It was just a career move from my standpoint," Kinder said. "I felt like for my coaching career it was the best move for me."...

INDIANAPOLIS -- NCAA president Myles Brand wants college teams concerned as much about academic scores as final scores. If they aren't, they might be barred from NCAA tournaments. Brand warned the underachievers Tuesday they could get hit with the NCAA's harshest sanctions -- fewer scholarships, reductions in practice and even a postseason ban. Nearly 150 teams face potential scholarship losses and another 26 are on the brink of a postseason ban because of poor academics...

Two arrested for allegedly selling drugs to police PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Two people were arrested Monday in Perry County after allegedly selling a quarter-pound of marijuana to undercover operatives, according to a news release from the Perry County Sheriff's Department. ...

Janice Marie Meyer, loving mother of Nick and his wife Pamela Meyer, grams to her grandson Gabriel Meyer, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends Sunday, May 4, 2008. Ms. Janie, as she was affectionally called by students and parents of her Cape Montessori School, was born March 17, 1946, to Thomas L. and Helen Meyer...

Loris B. Robbins, 80, of Cape Girardeau went to be with Jesus on Tuesday, May 6, 2008, after a battle with Alzheimer's. She was born April 23, 1928, in Flat River, Mo., daughter of Simon Harrison and Ada Alice Huffman Benton. She married Craig Jeffrey Priest. She later married Harlan Hubert Spinks. He preceded her in death Nov. 11, 1969. She then married Basil Harold Robbins, who preceded her in death July 15, 2001...

Ida M. Lindsey, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Heartland Care and Rehab. She was born July 11, 1924, in Helena, Ark., daughter of Everett and Alma Fitzgerald. She married John Lindsey. Survivors include three sons, Tommy Kimmel of Egypt Mills, Monty Baylor of Jackson and Jimmy Baylor of Cape Girardeau...

PEKIN, Ill. — Alfred E. Graham, 67, of Pekin died Saturday, April 5, 2008, at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Ill. He was born June 21, 1940, in Cape Girardeau, son of William E. and Agnes Stallings Graham. He married Shirley Behr in October 1960 in Cape Girardeau. He later married Frances L. Glasford Nov. 26, 1980, in Manito, Ill...

An NCAA ruling has left the eligibility of Southeast Missouri State men's basketball signee Martino Brock in question. The NCAA on Monday added Nashville Christian Advancement Academy to a list of 51 schools from which it will not recognize diplomas...

JACKSON, Ga. -- A Georgia man who killed his live-in girlfriend was executed Tuesday, the first inmate put to death since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of lethal injections. William Earl Lynd was pronounced dead at 7:51 p.m. EDT, Georgia Department of Corrections spokeswoman Mallie McCord said. It came less than an hour after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected efforts to block it...

TOKYO -- President Hu Jintao, on the first visit to Japan by a Chinese leader in 10 years, called Tuesday for the Asian giants to improve their often strained relations and -- as a show of goodwill -- reportedly offered to lend Tokyo a pair of pandas...

The Cape Girardeau School District has settled out of court a case involving a suspended senior fighting to be reinstated. Ryan Driskell, 18, was suspended for the remainder of the school year after police said they found marijuana remnants in his car on Jan. 11. No criminal charges were filed. His mother, Jennifer Eudy, sued the district to get her son back in school, saying proper procedure was not followed during an appeal hearing...

DENVER -- Braden Looper pitched into the ninth inning in the longest outing of his career and went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and the St. Louis Cardinals hung on for a 6-5 win over the slumping Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. Rick Ankiel hit his sixth homer of the season and Ryan Ludwick finished 4-for-4 with two doubles as the Cardinals won for the eighth time in 10 games...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Harry Pittman, 86, of Charleston, formerly of Cairo, Ill., died Saturday, May 3, 2008, at his home. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to noon Thursday at Massie Funeral Home in Mounds, Ill. A graveside service will be held at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Mound City National Cemetery. Larry Barnett will officiate. Military honors will be provided by Pulaski County VFW Post 8891...

Flooding will cost the Ozark National Scenic Riverways almost $1 million. The park has applied for $944,000 in federal aid to complete flood and storm damage repairs. It is not known when a decision will be made on the request. In a single March day, 11 inches of rain fell over the four counties that encompass the Riverways, according to park personnel, adding to already full waterways. Severe flooding damaged and destroyed campsites, boat ramps and 12 to 15 park buildings...

To the editor: The self-styled commander in chief of Operation Chaos, comedian Rush Limbaugh, has asked dittohead conservative Republicans to sabotage the Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina by voting for Hillary Clinton. Any dittohead obeying his order should know that he is indulging in anti-democratic and immoral behavior. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Steelman proposed a $171 million tax break Tuesday that she said would affect most Missouri taxpayers. Steelman, the current state treasurer, would cut taxes by increasing the personal and dependent child tax deductions...

Homeless shelter I WISH Cape Girardeau could face reality like Sikeston and construct a homeless shelter. Forced message? IN A story published in the Southeast Missourian, President Bush was said to have been "nostalgic" and "reflective" in a lengthy question-and-answer session in St. ...

The Cape Girardeau School Board will consider approving a salary schedule tonight that would raise the starting annual pay of new teachers by $220. Teachers would see an average increase of about 2 percent, according to information compiled for a board packet. Administrators' salaries would increase "slightly less" than 2 percent...

YANGON, Myanmar -- The cyclone death toll soared above 22,000 Tuesday and more than 41,000 others were missing as foreign countries mobilized to rush in aid after the country's deadliest storm on record, state radio reported. Up to 1 million people may be homeless after Cyclone Nargis hit the Southeast Asian nation, also known as Burma, early Saturday. Some villages have been almost totally eradicated and vast rice-growing areas are wiped out, the World Food Program said...

LOS ANGELES -- Britney Spears will have expanded visits with her sons following a child-custody hearing that went off without a hitch Tuesday. The longer visits are "recognition of the progress that has been made, a progress in structure and stability," said Mark Vincent Kaplan, attorney for Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Finally, an MVP award for Kobe Bryant. Regarded as the NBA's best player for several years but never its most valuable, Bryant earned the honor Tuesday after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference...

INDIANAPOLIS — Barack Obama swept to victory in the North Carolina primary Tuesday night and declared he was closing in on the Democratic presidential nomination. Hillary Rodham Clinton clung to a narrow Indiana lead, struggling to halt her rival's march into history...

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Tiger Woods was waiting on the sixth hole at Southern Hills last year during a practice round at the PGA Championship when he walked over to the side of the tee box and asked a question no one saw coming. "What do you think of Anthony Kim?"...

MANILA, Philippines -- More than 200 million children worldwide under age 5 do not get basic health care, leading to nearly 10 million deaths annually from treatable ailments like diarrhea and pneumonia, a U.S.-based charity said Wednesday. Nearly all of the deaths occur in the developing world, with poor children facing twice the risk of dying compared to richer children, according to Save the Children's global report...

CASSVILLE, Mo. -- Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty for two men charged in the rape and murder of a 9-year-old southwest Missouri girl. Barry County prosecutor Johnnie Cox filed notice with the court Monday, saying that he plans to seek the death penalty for Rowan Ford's stepfather, David Spears, and Chris Collings, a friend of Spears...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Matt Blunt's administration is forging ahead with a plan to archive state e-mails -- even though lawmakers have not approved the money needed to run it. Blunt tapped into existing state money in January while ordering the installation of a $1.6 million computerized system to permanently retain government e-mails...

WASHINGTON -- Further evidence that times are tough: It now costs more than a penny to make a penny. And the cost of a nickel is more than 7 1/2 cents. Surging prices for copper, zinc and nickel have some in Congress trying to bring back the steel-made pennies of World War II, and maybe using steel for nickels, as well...

BENTON, Mo. -- Voters in Oran re-elected Mayor Tom Urhahn Tuesday in a special election forced by a tie vote in the regular election April 8. By a vote of 253-220, Urhahn defeated challenger Ron Diebold in a race where nearly one-third more people cast ballots than voted in the April race...

This past week marked the best of times and the worst of times on the Missouri political front. OK, so the preceding bit of literary theft has a tad too much hyperbole, so let's just say there was some good news and some bad news -- in my opinion -- for Missourians...

25 years ago: May 7, 1983 Floodwaters in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois begin receding, leaving behind damage to crops, homes and business, estimated at more than $40 million by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the river crested yesterday at 45.05 feet in Cape Girardeau, slightly under the 1973 record flood crest of 45.5 feet...

BAGHDAD -- A rocket slammed into Baghdad's city hall and another hit a downtown park Tuesday as civilians fled a Shiite militia stronghold where U.S.-led forces are locked in fierce street battles. The American push in the Sadr City district -- launched after an Iraqi government crackdown on armed Shiite groups began in late March -- is trying to weaken the militia grip in a corner of Baghdad and disrupt rocket and mortar strikes on the U.S.-protected Green Zone...

McLEAN, Va. -- Washington-area sniper John Allen Muhammad is asking prosecutors in a letter to help him end legal appeals of his conviction and death sentence "so that you can murder this innocent black man." In a two-page letter obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Muhammad said he has tried without success to stop his defense attorneys from pursuing the appeals, and that he was counting on the state attorney general to assist him...

WASHINGTON -- Just months ago, ethanol was the Holy Grail to energy independence as a fuel farmers could grow within the U.S. Democrats and Republicans cheered its benefits as Congress directed a fivefold increase in ethanol use as a motor fuel. President Bush called it key to his strategy to cut gasoline use by 20 percent by 2010...

SIKESTON, Mo. — Vandalism to Sikeston R-6 school buses over the weekend forced the district to delay and rearrange bus routes Monday morning. Sikeston R-6 Superintendent Steve Borgsmiller said whoever disabled the buses at the school's transportation department at 214 S. ...

CHICAGO — Gavin Floyd's no-hit bid lasted until the ninth this time. Joe Mauer doubled with one out off Chicago's young right-hander for the Minnesota Twins' only hit and Floyd had to settle for a 7-1 victory Tuesday night as the White Sox ended a six-game losing streak...

I can grill up a burger, hot dog or even a swordfish steak with the best. But truth be told, perfecting the chicken breast -- juicy in the middle, caramelized exterior -- is a nerve-racking experience. But it can be done with a little grill sense. First, forget the image of Tony Soprano standing at the gas grill, lid open, a stogie in one hand and the other constantly poking at the meat with an oversized fork. Other than the cigar, he's breaking all the rules...

ST. LOUIS -- Wesley Falker was supposed to have gone with his wife to visit a niece's new baby Monday night. Instead, he stayed home to finish mowing the lawn. He almost left his grass clippings in a pile overnight until morning, but, remembering the forecast called for rain, decided to dump them in the yard waste bin in the alley behind his house...

Jackson The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Miscellaneous n Property damage was reported in the area of North Union Avenue. n A disturbance was reported in the 100 block of West Adams Street. Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt...

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. -- In a repair shop packed with Cadillacs -- the classic kind with fins, whitewall tires, curvy chrome bumpers and V-8 engines that get miles per gallon you can count on your fingers -- Elsa Nicodemus showed off a favorite. It's a 1956 Series 62 convertible with an obsessively polished aqua paint job, rocket cones poking out from the front grill and an engine that runs with a hushed chug...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Two people were arrested Monday in Perry County after allegedly selling a quarter-pound of marijuana to undercover operatives, according to a news release from the Perry County Sheriff's Department. Brian K. Mims, 47, of Potosi, Mo., and Miriam K. Mendoza, 31, of St. Louis, were arrested in the sting operation, a cooperative effort between the SEMO Drug Task Force, the sheriff's department and the Perryville Police Department...

Last week I told you about the cookbook I pulled off of my shelf to share recipes with you. As I mentioned, I am continuing this week from the same book, "The Dinner Doctor," by Anne Byrn. There are several books in the doctor series, but this is one of my favorites. The recipes are helpful to me as a busy mom, running here and there, yet still trying to cook and put meals on the table...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday: n At 6:25 p.m., emergency medical service in the 600 block of South West End Boulevard. n At 6:34 p.m., emergency medical service in the 2100 block of William Street. n At 8:30 p.m., a motor vehicle accident at William Street and Saint Francis Drive...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Velma Liszewski, 75, of Albuquerque died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at her home. She was born Feb. 7, 1933, in Enid, Okla., daughter of William Knapp and Cassie Calhoun Knapp. She was a hairdresser and a church volunteer. Survivors include three sons, Roger Petot of Albuquerque, Bob Petot of Ballwin, Mo., Roland Petot of St. ...

Leola Frances Davis, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 5, 2008, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born April 22, 1917, in Murphysboro, Ill., daughter of George L. and Velma Leola Lingle Miller. She and Dr. Thomas Woodrow Davis were married July 25, 1947, in Jackson, Tenn. He died Feb. 1, 1970...

There have been many occasions this year -- too many, some might say -- to check your homeowner's and renter's insurance policy to see what's covered -- and what's not. There was the ice storm, then the flooding and then the earthquake. Over and over, comments have been heard to this effect: "When I called about my coverage, I found I wasn't covered."...

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- The state that pioneered the quickie divorce is witnessing a potentially ugly breakup that has the governor of Nevada fighting to get back into his own mansion. Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons filed for divorce last week after moving out of the 23-room official residence. With his wife, Dawn, now ensconced in the Governor's Mansion, he has gone to court to have her evicted so that he can move back...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Republican John McCain criticized Democratic rival Barack Obama for voting against John Roberts as U.S. chief justice, reaching out to the Christian right on one of their chief concerns: the proper role of judges in government...

SAN DIEGO -- Dozens of San Diego State University students were arrested and six fraternities were suspended after a sweeping drug investigation found that some fraternity members openly dealt drugs and one even sent a mass text message advertising cocaine, authorities said Tuesday...

Novak Son to Jason Dwight and Rachael Dawn Novak of Marble Hill, Mo., Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville, Mo., 3:44 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2008. Name, Kaleb Anthony. Weight, 7 pounds, 14 ounces. Mrs. Novak is the former Rachael Welker, daughter of John and Vickie Welker of Patton, Mo. Novak is the son of Rick Brummer and Jennie Novak of Fredericktown, Mo. He is employed at Advance Logistics LLC...

A reception will be held Friday for three teachers retiring from the Center for Child Studies at Southeast Missouri State University. Debbie Landgraf, Linda Gosche and Kathy Brown will be honored from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in room 226 of Scully Hall. According to a news release, the three teachers have a combined 84 years of teaching experience together...

PEKIN, Ill. -- Ebony is unimpressed with her lustrous black coat and her statuesque good looks. Her passion is mycology. Ebony is a mold detection dog. For her, each job has special challenges. Some have surprising revelations. The giant schnauzer graduated from Florida Canine Academy, where she learned to hone her natural gifts for olfactory perception. She can detect the presence of mold in parts per trillion and communicate the location of the mother lode...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A leading House Republican said Tuesday he will try before the legislative session ends next week to reverse a Department of Revenue decision to increase fees charged to access driver's license records. Insurance companies and database operators such as one that maintains online records for used-car histories said the higher fees could force them out of business, drive up car insurance premiums and make it more difficult to administer vehicle recalls in Missouri...

When Shery Varney first saw Contraband, her 6-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse, he was skin and bones, missing chunks of hair and standing knee-deep in feces on hooves that were painfully overgrown. A month later, Contraband looks almost like a different horse...

DEXTER, Mo. — A 47-year-old Licking man faces several charges following a one-vehicle wreck Sunday on U.S. 60, about five miles east of Dexter. Terry D. Longrie was driving a 2000 Chevrolet van eastbound shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday when he lost control of the vehicle and overturned, coming to rest in the median. He had been traveling at a high rate of speed, the patrol report states, before skidding off the left side of the highway...

Mittens is a one-year-old spayed female cat. This beautiful girl is looking for a new home. The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri (573)334-5837.

Wayne Maupin is among a half-dozen Jackson residents who asked the city to revisit an ordinance banning parking on East Main Street. "Right now, if you have several guests at your home and you don't have an adequate driveway, you park up on the side street or contact a neighbor and park there. It works out, but it's an inconvenience," he said...

Property tax breaks for senior citizens and better state support for veterans are the themes U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof emphasized Tuesday in a campaign visit to Cape Girardeau. Hulshof, a Republican from Columbia, is seeking the GOP nomination to replace Gov. Matt Blunt, who is not seeking a second term. He faces State Treasurer Sarah Steelman and two other contenders in the Aug. 5 primary...

SIKESTON, Mo. — A Sikeston police officer discovered a house fire while on patrol early this morning, just in time to wake a family of six and get them out of the home safely, according to a news release from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.Police said Sikeston Police Officer Chris Griggs was on patrol near Hardin Street when he saw a vehicle on fire in a carport, which subsequently ignited the house at 322 Hardin St. ...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The effort to stop methamphetamine is working, but is far from over, Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Drug Czar John Walters said Wednesday during an international conference in St. Louis. Mukasey and Walters were joined at the National Methamphetamine Chemicals Initiative by federal, state and local officials and representatives from Mexico, Canada, Germany, China and India. The location was appropriate: Missouri continues to lead the nation in meth lab seizures...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Lawmakers give final approval to legislation lowering taxes on college savings plans. Investors in the Missouri Higher Education Savings Program already don't pay taxes on earnings. The bill expands the tax exemption to any 529 college savings plan -- including those in other states...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Ward Stare will serve as resident conductor for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and music director of the symphony's youth orchestra. He will join the symphony's conducting staff in September for an initial two-year term in the newly created position of resident conductor...

LEBANON, Mo. (AP) -- A central Missouri farmer has found bones and clothes that police say could be from a 43-year-old woman missing for more than a year. The man was spreading fertilizer Tuesday when he discovered a shoe and human bones. Laclede County Sheriff Richard Wrinkle says he believes the bones are the remains of Tracy Wahwassuck, who went missing April 13, 2007...

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) -- The St. Charles County sheriff's department says it is investigating the death of a person shocked with a stun gun. They say the person was in the custody of the sheriff's department at the time. The department planned a news conference at 2 p.m. Wednesday at its headquarters in O'Fallon in eastern Missouri to release additional details...

PACIFIC, Mo. (AP) --The city of Pacific says it wants to move forward with a voluntary buyout program for residents with flood-prone property along the Meramec River. The city received 117 responses to a survey asking residents if they want to pursue buyouts through a federal program. Only 11 people said they weren't interested...

GERALD, Mo. (AP) -- A pharmacist in the eastern Missouri town of Gerald is arrested on suspicion of manufacturing methamphetamine. Gerald Police Chief Ryan McCrary did not release the pharmacist's name, saying he would be charged in a few days. The pharmacist was arrested Monday in the Franklin County community 70 miles southwest of St. Louis. Gerald Discount Pharmacy says it remains open and is filling prescriptions...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri lawmakers give final approval to $240 million of incentives for a Canadian airplane maker to open an assembly plant in Kansas City. The enticements for Bombardier Aerospace cleared the House on Wednesday with little opposition. They passed the Senate last week and now need only the signature of Gov. Matt Blunt...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Kansas City School District will remain provisionally accredited but has to make significant improvement to gain full accreditation by 2010, its chief state reviewer said Tuesday. More than 200 administrators, teachers and other educators from across Missouri inspected every school and most classrooms in the district last week. The state gathered records and reports and interviewed students, teachers, administrators and board members...

A contractor for MoDOT will start shoulder work on Highway 72 starting Friday, weather permitting. Traffic will be reduced to one lane from the Highway 72/Route OO intersection in Madison County to the Highway 72/51 intersection in Bollinger County. Work is expected to continue into August...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke is named to two major Vatican offices. Burke was appointed to the posts by Pope Benedict XVI. The Archdiocese of St. Louis confirms that Burke will sit on the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts to interpret laws of the church...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A 14-year-old brings hunting ammunition to his St. Louis public high school, prompting a lockdown at the school. A search Wednesday morning at Beaumont High School did not turn up any weapons, and normal activity resumed at the school. District spokeswoman Deborah Sistrunk says the student was not arrested, but will be sent to an alternative school...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, a trained church lawyer who's worked in Rome, has been named by Pope Benedict XVI to two groups that advise the Vatican. The Archdiocese of St. Louis on Wednesday confirmed that Burke was appointed this week to the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and the Congregation for the Clergy...

This 30-minute short film by soon-to-be Southeast graduate can be viewed at 8 p.m., Thursday, May 8. ...

The Wachowski brothers have tumbled into a matrix of their own with "Speed Racer," one which has rendered them completely out of touch with the outside world. In adapting the 1960s Japanese anime television series, writer-directors Larry and Andy Wachowski have created a noisy, overlong, mind-numbing extravaganza that seems tailor-made for nobody but themselves and their twisted sensibilities...

NEOSHO, Mo. (AP) -- A bullet was found in a skull that was among the skeletal remains found in Newton County and the cause of death has been ruled a homicide. Sheriff Ken Copeland said in a statement Wednesday that the bullet showed up in X-rays taken during an autopsy in Springfield...

More than 225 guests attended Freda Martin's 101st birthday celebration, hosted by Karen and Rick Wooley of Orange, Calif., Martin's youngest daughter and son-in-law. Guests included Martin's daughters, Wanda Schweer, Doris Grebe, Ella Dee Keith and Shirley Adams, all of Jackson; her sisters, Effie Riehn and Hazel Henson; and most of her 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and friends and neighbors...

Dr. A.L. Schrader, 81, of Trenton, Tenn., died Tuesday, May 6, 2008. He was born June 16, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, and lived here many years. Schrader served the Trenton area as a general practitioner and surgeon 48 years, retiring in 1995. He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the Combat Engineers of the U.S. Army. He was discharged with the rank of staff sergeant...

George Heil Wrape Sr., 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born April 8, 1926, in St. Louis, eldest son of Velda and Gertrude Wrape. He and Elizabeth "Betty" Tuchschmidt were married Nov. 13, 1948. She died Jan. 13, 2002...

Gladys Stoffregen Medlin, 99, of University Place, Wash., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at Franciscan Hospice House in University Place. She was born July 9, 1908, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Fredrick and Olive Brown Stoffregen. She and Clyde F. Medlin were married Dec. 9, 1926, in Jackson. He died Jan. 25, 1959...

John Henry Patterson, 67, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 5, 2008, at his home. He was the son of Golden and Julia Andrews Patterson. Survivors include his wife, Fannie; a daughter, Nora Patterson of Albany, N.Y.; nine sons, John and Kroy Patterson of Albany, Anthony Patterson of Mississippi, Donelle, Mills, Demetrius, Steven, Algie and Ronald Taylor, all of Chicago; two sisters, Jessie Smith of Cape Girardeau, Juanita Patterson of Florida; three brothers, Roger, Joe and Tom Patterson, all of Florida; 15 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Larry Delmar McGraw, 61, of Perryville died Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at his home. He was born Aug. 7, 1946, at Sedgewickville, Mo., son of Virgil Delmar and Elsie Merl Hanners McGraw. He and Carol Lynn Hopson were married July 18, 1964...

Elnora King, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 5, 2008, at her home. She was born March 16, 1931, in Grenada, Miss., daughter of Henry and Hazel Dunbar King. Survivors include two sons, William Draper of Los Angeles, Calif., Maurice King of Cape Girardeau; seven daughters, Shirley Edwards of Los Angeles, Janice King, Dearber King, Patricia Patterson, Lisa King, Marilyn King and Lelia King, all of Cape Girardeau; a sister, Hazel Pondexter of Oklahoma; 24 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.. ...

The top track performances in Southeast Missouri as reported in the Southeast Missourian, the Sikeston Standard Democrat, the Dunklin Daily Democrat, the Poplar Bluff Daily American Republic and the Dexter Daily Statesman this spring. Please report any additional information, corrections or names to Toby Carrig by e-mail at tcarrig@semissourian.com:...

Air Force airmen David J. Miller and Cameron L. Stevens have graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force. ...

The Scott County Central baseball team exploded for nine runs in the first inning and never looked back Wednesday. The Braves cruised to the 18-6 victory over Advance. The Hornets committed four six errors in the loss. Kyndel Page ripped a double for the Hornets (4-16)...

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball program landed another player for the 2008-09 season. Daumonique Lenhardt, a 5-foot-9 junior college guard, is the Redhawks' sixth signee for next year. Lenhardt played the past two seasons at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, Tenn. She will have two years of eligibility at Southeast...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston police officer discovered a house fire while on patrol early Wednesday morning, just in time to wake a family of six and get them out of the home safely, according to a news release from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

1. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow 2. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle 3. "The Whole Truth" by David Baldacci 4. "Just Who Will You Be? Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within." by Maria Shriver...

WASHINGTON -- When the Pentagon announced an obscure California company had won a lucrative military contract, no one mentioned any plans for a Caribbean outpost -- a tropical shell the company quickly created that allowed it to duck millions in taxes and deflect U.S. lawsuits...

Judith Louise Hopkins, 66, of Bellevue, Wash., died Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at her home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

M. Luther Hahs, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff mother accused of abusing her 7-month-old daughter because the infant wouldn't stop crying made her first court appearance Monday morning. Jennifer Fay Blanche Miller, 26, of the 100 block of County Road 476 was arraigned before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth on felony child abuse...

A contractor for MoDOT will start shoulder work on Highway 72 starting Friday, weather permitting. Traffic will be reduced to one lane from the Highway 72/Route OO intersection in Madison County to the Highway 72/51 intersection in Bollinger County. Work is expected to continue into August. For more information call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT...

Teachers and administrators in Cape Girardeau will get about a 2 percent pay raise next school year, the school board decided 6-1 Wednesday night. But the board split when it came to approving stipends for extra duties, narrowly passing an unchanged schedule from this year...

Death has a funny way of bringing people together. When Jeanie Eddleman's uncle died, his doctor became a friend of the family and eventually, an arts partner for the Cat Ranch Art Guild. The guild was established in 2001 at the former studio of Eddleman's uncle, Tom Runnels, an artist in Marble Hill, Mo. In May 2007 the guild gained a Cape Girardeau venue when Dr. Joel Ray called Eddleman for help growing his photography business. He offered to put her on the payroll at Westray Studios...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Andretti, Rahal, Foyt. It sounds like throwback day at the Indianapolis 500. Except this year, three of the biggest names in IndyCar history are hoping to give the 33-car starting field a brand new look. Their more famous relatives are now watching from pit road as the next generation of Andrettis, Rahals and Foyts try to carve out their own niche in a sport where names mean everything...

GENEVA -- Ships and cargo planes carried relief supplies to Myanmar on Wednesday as aid groups distributed food and other supplies to people left homeless by a deadly cyclone. Operations continued to be hampered by the Myanmar government's delay in issuing visas to aid workers. But U.N. and other agencies said they were making progress in persuading the government to let in more experts to help get aid to those who need it most...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush and Congress are clashing over how to address the housing crisis, clouding the prospects of an election-year rescue package. Bush said Wednesday he would veto Democrats' broad housing aid plan, saying it wouldn't help struggling homeowners...

To the editor: Being a 36-year resident of Cape Girardeau County, I am embarrassed by the way the Cape Girardeau County Commission is acting. Our elected officials need to understand they work for and represent the people of the county, and we must hold them accountable...

According to Missouri law, it is legal to record a conversation in person or over the telephone as long as one person knows it is being done. Missouri's Sunshine Law offers different guidelines for public meetings, however, that would make some types of recordings illegal...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrest n Casey M. Greer, 19, of Morehouse, Mo., was arrested on a Mississippi County warrant for fraud. Summonses...

YANGON, Myanmar -- Hungry people swarmed the few open shops and fistfights broke out over food and water in Myanmar's swamped Irrawaddy delta Wednesday as a top U.S. diplomat warned that the death toll from a devastating cyclone could top 100,000. Entire villages in the Irrawaddy delta were still submerged from Saturday's storm, and bloated corpses could be seen stuck in the mangroves. ...

May 8, 2008 Dear Leslie, Big Sur's magic is as powerful as the last time I was here 20 years ago. The garden at Esalen is a kaleidoscope of greens, reds, oranges, yellows and purples against the rippling blue-gray backdrop of the Pacific. As sundown approaches the sea turns milky and a light fog begins to shroud these mountain peaks in the ocean. This is a place for dreaming...

At age 15 she went off to see the wizard. Now more than 70 years later, Margaret Pellegrini — an original munchkin from Munchkinland — still doesn't get tired of the story of Dorothy and her trip to the Emerald City. "The Wizard of Oz is not only for kids," she said from her home in Arizona. ...

William E. "Bill" Schmitt, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at his home. He was born March 12, 1927, in Cairo, Ill., son of Harold and Lena Henderson Schmitt. He married Martha Stroud. Schmitt had owned Mack's Barbecue in Cairo. He was a member of First Southern Baptist Church in Cairo and VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau. He was a former member of Elks, Masons and Shriners...

The first summer blockbuster of the year has arrived, and it goes by the name "Iron Man." Director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. have taken one of Marvel Comics most enduring characters and created a near-perfect comic book adaptation. From the opening scene to the last, the film never slows down, never gets boring and never disappoints...

Estes Deli and BBQ was brought back by popular demand. The restaurant closed in 2004, but when people kept asking owner Alan Estes about reopening, he couldn't resist. Estes Deli and BBQ opened again July 2007. The restaurant is housed in what was once the Jackson Pizza Hut. Customers can fix their own drinks and relax while dining in a comfortable and friendly atmosphere...

LONDON -- Amy Winehouse was arrested Wednesday in connection with a January video that allegedly shows her doing drugs at a party at her north London home. London's Metropolitan Police said a 24-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of drugs possession. Winehouse's spokesman, Chris Goodman, confirmed his client was in police custody...

SAN DIEGO -- Undercover agents who posed as college students to bust more than 100 suspected drug dealers at San Diego State University never had to crack a book to gain acceptance on campus. All it took was cash. The federal agents went to one or two parties but never actually went to class or lived in the dorms. Instead, they merely arranged meetings with suspected dealers and asked about buying cocaine, Ecstasy, methamphetamine, marijuana and other drugs, authorities said Wednesday...

Mapes cards ace at Cape C.C. Mike Mapes recently fired a hole in one at Cape Girardeau Country Club. Mapes performed the feat with a utility wood on No. 13, a par 3 playing 140 yards. Witnesses were Bob Talley, Ron Herr and Jerry Vandenbrook. Schreckenberg, Williams win event...

A ham and fried chicken supper begins at 4 p.m. Saturday at New Salem United Methodist Church fellowship hall in Daisy, Mo. Children 5 and younger eat free. The menu includes ham, fried chicken, potato salad, green beans, corn, slaw, bread, cake and drink...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Marion "Sis" Phillips, 80, of Advance, formerly of St. Louis, died Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 29, 1927, in St. Louis, daughter of Luther Johnson and Marion Dorothy Hesemann Embree. She and Eugene Phillips were married Feb. 14, 1946, in St. Louis. He died March 26, 1984...

BAGHDAD -- Entire sections of Baghdad's embattled Sadr City district have been left nearly abandoned by civilians fleeing a U.S.-led showdown with Shiite militias and seeking aid after facing shortages of food and medicine, humanitarian groups said Wednesday...

Going too fast IT'S GREAT that Jackson police are cracking down on impaired drivers, but they also should do something about the stretch of Highway 72 from the city limits to West Lane. It's like driving on the autobahn in Germany. Directing traffic...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday: n At 5:19 p.m., a box alarm at 31 S. Kingshighway. n At 5:24 p.m., a motor vehicle accident on Interstate 55. n At 5:48 p.m., emergency medical service on North Kings¿highway...